New Delhi: In view of the recent Supreme Court verdict, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar said that the “real women devotees” of Lord Ayyappa were unlikely to visit Sabarimala temple and only “women activists” will reach the hillock shrine.

The apex court had on September 28 lifted the ban on the entry of women aged between 10-50 years to the forest shrine, holding that the centuries-old Hindu religious practise was illegal and unconstitutional.

After a meeting with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, Padmakumar said the TDB will seek 100 acres of forest land from the Centre to provide more amenities for devotees as part of implementing the top court order.

The Board, which manages the shrine, will also consider filing a review petition, citing the difficulties and challenges faced by it in implementing the order in the present context, he said.

Expressing disappointment over the verdict, Padmakumar said the apex court had taken into account only constitutional, fundamental and gender issues while considering the entry of women into the shrine.

The unique geographical aspects and specific circumstances at the hill temple should have also been considered, he said. “During the last annual pilgrim season, devotees had to stand in queue for over 17 continuous hours on a particular day due to the unprecedented rush,” Padmakumar said.

Around 5.5 lakh devotees had been at the shrine during the last ‘Makaravilakku’ day on January 14. “Is it possible for women to trek kilometers through the forest path and stand amongst the packed crowd?” he said. The TDB chief said the real devotees who respect the traditions and rituals of Sabarimala and know the circumstances there were not likely to visit the shrine.