IActivist Trupti Desai offers prayers at Trimbakeshwar temple

Gender rights activist Trupti Desai, who is spearheading a campaign seeking to break the age-old tradition banning entry of women in inner sanctum sanctorum of temples, today visited the famous Lord Shiva temple at Trimbakeshwar here without making a bid to enter the core area.
Desai, who heads Bhumata Brigade, made an unannounced visit to the famous temple, nearly 30 kms from here.
The activist was in Niphad taluka here to attend a programme.
Desai and two of her colleagues visited Trimbakeshwar temple today and took 'darshan' of the deity from outside the 'garbhagriha' (sanctum sanctorum where entry of women is banned) and were later escorted out safely by police, a Trimbakeshwar Police Station official told PTI.

The visit was "peaceful". Though some locals objected to entry of Desai into the temple, no disruption was reported. Desai later left for Mumbai, the officer said.
An official of Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust said that no meeting was held betweenthe Bhumata Brigade chief and temple trust today.

Desai had yesterday told reporters in Niphad that Bhumata Brigade activists will henceforth attempt entering the 'garbhagrih' without creating any law and order situation and it will be unannounced.
"Women in towns of Shani Shinganapur and Trimbakeshwar are under pressure of traditional system. We are not against anyone, we are just opposing the traditions that stops us from entering 'chouthara' (inner platform at Shani Shingnapur temple) or 'garbhagrih'," she said.

Earlier, women activists of Bhumata Brigade, headed by Desai, had set out to enter Trimbakeshwar temple from Pune on March 7 on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri but were stopped and detained at Nandurshingote village, around 80 kms from the temple.