Is President Murmu Set to Pray at the Revered Sabarimala Temple?

Thiruvananthapuram, May 5 (NationPress) It has been officially confirmed by P.S. Prasanth, the chief of the Travancore Devaswom Board, that President Droupadi Murmu will make history as the first Indian President to visit the renowned Sabarimala temple.

Due to security considerations associated with this high-profile visit, the Special Protection Group (SPG) will determine whether President Murmu will hike from the base camp at Pampa or take a vehicle up the steep hill to the illustrious Sabarimala temple.

In an interview with IANS, Prasanth noted that plans for this visit have been in discussion for the last two weeks, and it is now confirmed that the President will indeed attend.

“As per the preliminary schedule, which we have not yet received officially, she is expected to arrive in Kottayam on May 18 for a private function. On May 19, she is likely to reach the Nilakkal helipad area,” Prasanth indicated.

From there, she will travel by road to the Pampa base camp.

“At that point, there will be two options. The President may either trek up the hill like other pilgrims or be transported via the emergency access road. The final decision will be made by the SPG, and we will comply with it,” Prasanth explained.

“Given that this visit has been anticipated for the past few weeks, we have started our preparations. Once we receive official confirmation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will convene a meeting to assess the arrangements, as this is poised to be a historic event,” Prasanth stated.

The Sabarimala temple, located in the Western Ghats at an elevation of 3,000 feet, is about a four-kilometer trek from Pampa in the Pathanamthitta district, roughly 100 kilometers from the state capital.

Currently, entry to the hilltop shrine is restricted for girls and women aged between 10 and 50 years.

This temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is only accessible on foot from the Pampa River.

Traditionally, pilgrims engage in a rigorous 41-day penance before visiting the holy shrine, abstaining from footwear, wearing a black dhoti or top, and adhering to a strict vegetarian diet.

Each pilgrim carries an ‘Irumudi’ on their head, a prayer kit that includes coconuts, which are broken just prior to ascending the 18 sacred steps to the shrine.

No one is permitted to ascend the revered 18 steps at the ‘Sannidhanam’ without it.

Over time, some customs at this distinguished temple have evolved.

For many years, the temple was only open during the latter half of November until mid-January, but this has changed, and the temple is now accessible for a few days at the beginning of each Malayalam month.