A woman has climbed a mountain in India, where only men were allowed until now for religious reasons. Dhanya Sanal’s ascent to the summit of Agasthyakoodam in southern Kerala state came after a court ruling in November.
Agastyarkoodam, 1,868m (6,128ft) peak located in the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, opened for the annual trekking for the first time after the Kerala High Court ruled last November that no gender-based restrictions would be imposed on trekkers.
Local tribespeople oppose women climbing it because of its statue of a Hindu sage associated with celibacy.
Ms Sanal, 38, said she had not been stopped by locals or protesters. Campaigners say it’s a victory in the fight to end gender discrimination.
Ms Sanal said she had been “ready to turn back” if tribespeople stopped her, but while she did encounter protesters, she said they had not prevented her from continuing her trek.
They had said they worshipped the sage, Agastya, and did not want women in the vicinity of his idol as that amounted to disrespecting his celibacy.
The terrain is steep and rocky and the trail is inside a thick forest. Trekkers often take two or three days to scale the peak.
“It is extremely tough terrain that demands extra physical fitness,” Ms Sanal said. She was the only woman in a group of 100 trekkers. The group was accompanied by two female forest officials.
Agasthyarkoodam is a reserve forest and a UNESCO heritage site. The 47-day trekking programme to the peak will continue till March 1.