Women of childbearing age have been forbidden to enter a Hindu temple. This prohibition was overturned by the Indian Supreme Court, and just enforced by the state of Kerala, where the temple is located. Only two women have entered thus far, and the outcry against the policy has been large. On the other side, hundreds of thousands of women formed a “Women’s Wall” from one end of Kerala to the other in support of the policy.

Two women enter a temple. A country erupts. Supriya Nair New York Times January 8, 2019 The debate over whether women of childbearing age can visit a shrine in southern India has become a battle involving caste, gender, party politics and history.

Hundreds of thousands of women participate in 620 km “Women’s Wall,” organized by the Kerala government in support of gender equality and the government’s decision to permit entry to the Sabarimala shrine Huffpost India January 1, 2019

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Photo: Women gathered to form a portion of the Women’s Wall that stretched from the northern tip of Kerala state to the southern. Credit CPI(M) KERALA