Sabarimala (Kerala), Oct. 23 (UNI)- President Droupadi Murmu offered prayers at Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala yesterday, becoming the first sitting President to visit the shrine in over five decades, the last being President V.V. Giri in 1973.

Adhering to the Temple’s customs and traditions, President Murmu began her sacred pilgrimage from Pamba, where she performed the customary ritual bath in a specially arranged enclosure near the holy river. She then symbolically filled her Irumudi Kettu (sacred bundle carried by devotees) before proceeding to the Temple.

Dressed in black saree, the President offered prayers at the Pamba Ganapathy Temple before beginning her ascent to Sabarimala. She was accompanied by her Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and a security official, both of whom carried Irumudi Kettu as fellow pilgrims.

Climbs Pathinettam Padi

Travelling in a special Devaswom Board jeep under heavy security, she reached the hilltop shrine and climbed Pathinettam Padi (18 sacred steps) with the assistance of a security officer.

At the Sannidhanam, President Murmu was accorded a traditional welcome by Chief Priest Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu, and she reverently touched the offering before entering the sanctum for darshan.

Following her prayers, the President spent some time at the Devaswom Guest House and partook in a traditional lunch. As a mark of reverence, the Travancore Devaswom Board presented her with a handcrafted Lord Ayyappa idol carved from Kumbil wood.

Tight security

Her visit was marked by unprecedented security arrangements across Sannidhanam, Pamba and Nilakkal, with the Kerala Police’s special forces managing crowds. Pilgrims’ access to the Temple was briefly restricted during the President’s darshan.

President Murmu’s visit, coming exactly 50 years after President V.V. Giri’s historic darshan, marks a new chapter in the Temple’s modern history. While V.V. Giri was carried up the hill in a Doli (palanquin), Murmu became the first President to ascend by jeep, under strict security protocols.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expected to visit Sabarimala soon, the President’s pilgrimage has provided central security agencies an opportunity to reassess the shrine’s logistical and safety arrangements ahead of future VVIP visits.