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President Murmu offers prayers at Sabarimala hill shrine
President Murmu headed to the Sabarimala temple in a convoy of six Gurkha emergency four-wheel drive vehicles along the Swamy Ayyappan temple, opting against the traditional route of walking up the hill. She was received at the temple by the chief priest Kandaru Mahesh Mohanaru and walked up the ‘pathinettampadi’ (holy 18 steps) before offering prayers to the deity
Kochi:
President Droupadi Murmu offered prayers at the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa temple on Wednesday — the second day of her four-day visit to Kerala. She was accompanied by her son-in-law Ganesh Chandra Hembram and her security officers, offered prayers just before the noon prayers at the temple and spent nearly three hours at the Sannidhanam before departing for Thiruvananthapuram.
In 1973, VV Giri, then President, had also paid a visit to the Sabarimala hill shrine.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Air Force chopper carrying the President arrived at a freshly-constructed helipad at Pramadom shortly after 9am from the state capital.
During the soft landing of the chopper, its tyres sank into the freshly-laid concrete. However, the President continued on her way to the Sabarimala base camp of Pampa without any delay. Police and fire personnel had to push the helicopter to get its tyres out of the concrete.
According to officials, the helipad at Pramadom was prepared overnight due to adverse weather conditions in and around Nilackal, where the President was originally slated to arrive.
Heavy rains were predicted for the day in Pathanamthitta. In Pampa, instead of a ceremonial dip, the President dipped her feet in the river and headed to the Pampa Ganapathy temple. There, under the supervision of the chief priest Vishnu Namboothiri, the President tied the ‘irumudikettu’ (a two-compartment kit containing sacred offerings for the deity) as part of the Sabarimala traditions.
Pilgrims headed to Sabarimala carry the ‘irumudikettu’ on their head as part of the 41-day vows. The kit normally contains pooja articles such as camphor, honey, turmeric powder, coconut, betel leaf and coins.
President Murmu headed to the Sabarimala temple in a convoy of six Gurkha emergency four-wheel drive vehicles along the Swamy Ayyappan temple, opting against the traditional route of walking up the hill. She was received at the temple by the chief priest Kandaru Mahesh Mohanaru and walked up the ‘pathinettampadi’ (holy 18 steps) before offering prayers to the deity.
She was accompanied by Kerala temple affairs Minister VN Vasavan.
Before leaving for Pramadom, the President rested at the Devaswom Guest House amid high security arrangements. She also paid a visit to the Vavar mosque in Erumely, associated closely with the Sabarimala pilgrimage. The President departed for Thiruvananthapuram from the helipad at Pramadom after 4 pm.
Over the next two days, the President has various engagements in Kerala including unveiling the bust of former President KR Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan, inaugurating the ‘mahasamadhi’ centenary of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru in Varkala, inaugurating the centenary celebrations at St Teresa’s College in Ernakulam.
