India temple turned into fortress for new gender battle Devotees climb the steps of the Sabarimala temple. Indian police mount a major security operation to prevent hardliners blocking women from entering one of Hinduism's holiest shrines despite a court order. In September India's top court ruled that women of all ages could pray at the Sabarimala temple in the southern state of Kerala, the latest in a series of defeats for traditionalists. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES