KERALA, INDIA, December 20, 2005: Up until recently, VIP’s at the Lord Ayyappan Sabarimala temple were allowed to stand in front of the sanctum sanctorum in a special queue that often blocked the vision of the devotees. An order by the Kerala High Court has directed the Executive Officer of Sabarimala to abandon the special queue. The court also ordered that prasadam be distributed after puja, that steps be taken to stop unauthorized business done by women (ages 15-35) around the temple, that a ratio of bananas for ‘Appam’ be followed and that the regulation for handling gas cylinders be adhered to. Several million pilgrims worship at the remote temple each year.
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