SABARIMALA, Oct 17: N Parameswaran Namboothiri, 49, of Kaleekkal Madom in Mavelikkara
was on Sunday chosen as the new melsanthi (head priest) of the Lord Ayyappa
temple and Shambu Namboothiri of Kuruvakkad Illam in Kozhikode as the Malikappuram
Devi temple head priest at Sabarimala in Kerala.
The choice was through draw of lots. The nine names shortlisted after interviews
of aspiring candidates conducted by the Travancore Devswom Board, administrator
of temples, were placed in a silver pot and Govind Varma, the youngest member
of the Pandalam royal family, picked the lot to select the Sabarimala temple
head priest, followed by a similar draw for the Malikappuram temple, also situated
in the premises.
Parameswaran Nampoothiri is currently the melsanthi of Sree Krishnaswami temple,
Evoor, in the Alappuzha district. He had also served as the melsanthi of Pampa
Maha Ganapathi temple, Chettikulangara temple and Sree Krishna Swami temple,
Haripad. Shambu Namboothiri is working as the chief priest at Kannancherry Maha
Ganapati temple.
Travancore Devaswom Board president N Vasu and High Court observer retired
Justice N Bhaskaran supervised the draw of lots.
The tenure of the head priest is one year starting from November 16 when the
annual Mandala puja pilgrim season begins. For the pilgrimage, devotees have
to book tickets online as per the new rules to ensure security as also they
are mandated to carry a full covid vaccination certificate or a negative RT-PCR
test report.
The temple had opened for the monthly (new Malayalam month of Thulam) rituals
on Saturday at 5 pm. The door to the sanctum sanctorum was opened by the current
head priest VK Jayaraj Potti in the presence of Tantri Kandaru Maheshwaru Mohanaru.
However, rituals were scheduled to start only after the naming of the new priest
on Sunday morning as per custom.
As it has been raining for the past few days and there were cloud bursts leading
to flash floods and landslides killing over a dozen people, the Devaswom Board
decided not to allow devotees take the risk of trekking during the current adverse
weather conditions for the monthly darshan at the temple.
The temple will be closed on October 21 after the monthly prayers, the Travancore
Devaswom Board said in a press release. Thereafter, it will open on November
16 for the annual pilgrimage.
The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple is a major pilgrim centre of the Hindus of south
India situated in Kerala's high ranges, drawing millions of devotees during
the annual pilgrimage season, November till January.
ALSO SEE:-
The Sabarimala temple - The legend & rituals
The Story of Lord Ayyappa
SABARIMALA, the pilgrim centre
