With an aim to provide equal treatment to both men and women, yesterday, the Trimbakeshwar Temple authorities even restricted men from entering into the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Shiva shrine.

The latest decision would come into effect from today and it was taken in the wake of the Bombay High Court verdict, giving women, equal right to men, with regard to entry into the temples.

One of the trustees said that, the decision was taken in a board meeting of the Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust, which was attended by all the concerned officials.

In the past, Bhumata Ranragini Brigade Trupti Desai and 25 other women activists were restricted from entering into the inner sanctum of the famous Shani temple in Ahmednagar's Shingnapur village and upon their protest, they were taken into police custody and, however, were released later.

Trimbakeshwar temple, located 30 kms from Nashik, is a major Lord Shiva shrine of India. It has one of the 12 'jyotirlingas', drawing devotees from far and wide.

The ban on entry of women into garbhagriha' is an age-old tradition and not something enforced in recent times. It has been since Peshwa peroid, according to Ghule, a member of the Trimbakeshwar Temple Trust.

Around 6-7am, as per the tradition, only men were allowed to enter the area,  where the main 'linga' is placed, that too by putting on a specific gear called the sovala (silk clothing). However, women, can have 'darshan' from outside the core area.

Some priests in the temple town said most of the women devotees might not want to defy the tradition.

Seeking to give a scientific dimension to the practice, they said there are certain rays that concentrate in the main area, which could probably be harmful to women health.

By Phani Ch