Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Thursday said that women of all ages used to enter Sabarimala temple in the past.

Talking to reporters, he said women from the Travancore Royal family used to have darshan of Lord Iyyappa at Sabarimala. “Women from affluent families also used to visit the shrine,” the Minister added.

Meanwhile, adviser to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sabarimala Advisory Committee Acting Chairman T.K.A. Nair told a television channel that his ‘choroonu’ ceremony (maiden rice feeding ritual of a child) was held at Sabarimala temple. “My mother fed me rice decades back. My parents visited the temple following an advice from Panthalam king,” he said.

However, Rahul Eshwar, member of the family of tantris, said he had enough proof to show that women were banned from entering the temple from the year 1812.