Travancore: Draped in a black sari, President Droupadi Murmu made a historic visit to the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala on Wednesday. She became the first woman head of state to offer prayers at the hilltop shrine. Not just that, she is only the second President of India to visit the temple. Previously, former President VV Giri had visited in the 1970s.
The President’s visit comes years after a landmark 2018 Supreme Court ruling. The apex court had overturned a traditional restriction on women of menstruating age (10-50) from entering the temple. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Ayyappan. The devotees consider him to be an eternal celibate.
Taking to X, BJP MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar hailed President Murmu’s visit to Sabarimala. “She is 67. She broke no rules, hurt no faith – she only honoured it. In doing so, she became the first President ever to carry the Irumudi and bow before Lord Ayyappa,” he wrote.
According to the MP, the visit “reminds us that devotion doesn’t shout, it simply stands tall. A moment that reflects the deep faith uniting millions of Ayyappa devotees across India. Those 18 steps have seen debate and defiance, yet devotion always finds its dignity.”
President Murmu arrived at the Pamba base camp around 11 am as she followed the tradition and washed her feet in the Pampa river. She then offered prayers at the nearby Lord Ganapathy shrine.
She also participated in the ‘Kettunira’ ceremony. The melshanthi (head priest) prepared her ‘irumudikkettu’ — the sacred bundle devotees carry to the shrine. Her son-in-law, Ganesh Chandra Hombram, and other staff members also prepared their own sacred bundles, reported the India Today.
The group travelled on 4.5-km Swami Ayyappan Road to the Sannidhanam (main temple complex) in special four-wheel-drive vehicles.
At the Sannidhanam, President Murmu was formally received by the temple tantri (chief priest), Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru. She was welcomed with a ‘poorna kumbha’ (a traditional welcome). She was also greeted by state Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan.
As she carried the sacred bundle on her head, she climbed the 18 holy steps to the main sanctum sanctorum for the darshan of Lord Ayyappa. Later, ‘irumudikkettu’ was taken by the head priest for pooja.
The Sabarimala visit is a key part of President Murmu’s four-day official tour of Kerala. The tour began on Tuesday evening.