Amid mounting protest in Kerala against the entry of women of menstrual age into Sabarimala temple, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Friday decided to appeal against the Supreme Court order.

On Thursday, the Sabarimala temple, located on the mountain ranges of the ecologically fragile Western Ghats, opened for the first time after the recent apex court order. The Supreme Court has recently allowed women of the menstrual age group to visit Sabarimala Temple of Lord Ayyappa leading to the protests.

"We have decided to appeal against the Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all age groups to enter Sabarimala temple," said A Padmakumar, President, Travancore Devaswom Board.

Ahead of the meeting, the TDB, which administers the hill shrine, had said it was ready for any sort of compromise to end the stand-off.

Meanwhile, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechuri hit-out at RSS and said that the pattern of protest is similar to what was during Babri Masjid demolition.

However, the opposition Congress and BJP Friday hit out at the Left government in Kerala for allegedly extending support to bring women activists to Sabarimala temple, hurting the sentiments of devotees.

They also alleged the police gave one of the women, who climbed to the hill shrine amid heavy security, their official uniform and helmet.

The two women, identified as a journalist from Hyderabad and a Kochi-based activist, trekked Sabarimala and reached a few metres away from the holy 18 steps with police escort but had to return due to massive protest by devotees.

Attacking the CPI(M)-led LDF government on the issue, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala asked whether the police gave security to the real devotees.

"Has the government taken to the shrine the real devotees? Is the entry of women into the shrine a commando operation? Is this the supreme court order?" he asked.

A large number of devotees blocked the young women and police team escorting them at Valiya Nadappandhal, the queue complex located a few metres away from the holy 'pathinettam padi' (the 18 sacred steps), leading to the sanctum sanctorum.

Tension was defused after the women agreed to return as the state government made it clear it did not want to take them to the Sannidhanam, the temple complex, by using force against the protesting devotees.

The Centre has asked the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to tighten security in view of the continuing protests.