Heggade bats for women entry ban at Sabarimala

Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade opined that the ban on entry of women into Sabarimala temple was an age old tradition, and must be preserved.

He maintained that men undertake 48 days of austerities before leaving for Sabarimala. They remain away from their homes and all worldly pleasures.

These austerities are observed for self control. "When one fails in self control, it results in inequality and #Me too incidents," he pointed out.

"There are a few restrictions in foreign countries as well," Heggade pointed out. "It is better to retain age old traditions," he added.

"If allowed into Sabarimala, there is a possiblity of misusing the system in the name of equality. Some old traditions and customs must remain," he added.

Heggade said that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy would inaugurate the renovated Manjusha museum at Dharmasthala on October 24.

The CM will also lay the foundation stone for widening of roads in Dharmasthala (to be implemented by PWD at a cost of Rs 23.5 crore).

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would visit Dharmasthala on October 29 and launch LIC Pragathi Raksha for self help groups of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project.