Their way had been blocked by hundreds of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hindu activists, forcing them to remain holed up at the airport.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials at the airport informed the media that she has decided to return from here on Friday night, as she does not want to create any issues in Kerala.

The news was greeted with cheers from the protesters, but they said they will vacate the airport premises only after her flight departs, later in the night.

The airport turned into a noisy protest site as Desai and her group arrived from Pune at around 4.45 a.m, with some 100 protesters shouting slogans and preventing her from leaving the complex despite police presence.

As the hours passed, the number of demonstrators, including top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and activists, swelled and they virtually took charge of every entry and exit gates both inside and outside the airport.

Several rounds of talks with Desai with various officials failed to yield any result as she was adamant, and at one point of time, she even told the police that if they are unable to provide her security, she will manage on her own.

She then tried to reach out to the Kerala High Court by contacting legal experts. With time running out for the day and the court closed for the next two days, she informed the police that she will return, but vowed that she will be back.

She is likely to approach the Supreme Court about what happened to her here.

At one stage, the Cochin International Airport Ltd officials took a strong position that she has to either leave the airport or take a flight out from the airport.

BJP spokesperson Shoba Surendran said: “We will not allow her to leave the airport. Desai has got all the support from atheists like our Chief Minister who is determined to see that women get to visit the temple.

“She is nothing but an activist who has scant respect for the tradition of Sabarimala. So it’s best that (Pinarayi) Vijayan sees that she is packed off from here at the earliest.”

Meanwhile, speaking to the media from the Nilackal base camp near the Ayyappa shrine, state Minister for Devasoms (which looks after temples) K. Surendran said Desai arrived in Kochi after intimating the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Maharashtra in writing.

Prior to her arrival, the activist had written to Vijayan seeking police protection from the time she steps out of the plane at Kochi on Friday till she takes her return flight out of the state.

The temple doors opened at 5 p.m for two months.

The temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all ages to enter the temple that hitherto banned girls and women aged between 10 and 50.

The apex court this week refused to stay its earlier verdict.