Tradition, and mobs, keep women of menstruating age out of Indian temple

Women demonstrating against the tradition at Sabarimala Temple that dictates women of menstruating age be barred. [courtesy]

At the Indian temple that is the focus of a battle over gender equality, Hindu hardliners are in festive mood, successful -- so far -- in their bid to keep women out.

A supreme court decision to end a ban on women of "menstruating age" -- those between 10 and 50 years -- at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala has sparked violent demonstrations on the roads leading to the site.