Sabarimala Ayyappa temple gets new chief priest

The draw of lots to select the new Sabarimala Melsanthi held at the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on Sunday. – Photo: Leju Kamal

S.E.Sankaran Namboodiri of 'Sooryagayatrom' (Karackattu Illom) at Thiruvanchoor in Kottayam district has been selected the new Melsanthi (head priest) at the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala through a draw of lots held at the temple on Sunday.

In another draw of lots held at Malikappuram, later, E.S.Unnikrishnan Namboodiri of Edackanom Illom at Punnamparambu-Thekkumkara in Thrissur district was selected the next Melsanthi at the Malikappuram Devi Temple.

Both the

Melsanthi -designates will assume charge at the respective temples for the next one year on the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrischikom that begins on November 17.

The draw of lots to select the

Melsanthi was prepared by the TDB authorities. The Special Commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court, K.Babu, supervised the entire procedure. The results of the draw was announced by the Special Commissioner.

M.P.Govindan Nair, TDB president; Subhash Vasu, P.K.Kumaran, board members; V.S.Jayakumar, TDB Secretary; C.P.Ramaraja Prasad, Devaswom Commissioner, and T.Narayanan, Superintendent of Police, were also present.

Both the newly

Melsanthi -designates will undergo training at the Tantri household of Thazhamon Madhom at Mundankavu near Chengannur before assuming charge in November.

Heavy rush

The holy hillock witnessed heavy rush as hundreds of devotees undertook pilgrimage to the forest shrine, braving the incessant rains, on the first day in the Malayalam month of Thulam on Sunday.