PATHANAMTHITTA: A month ahead of the start of the annual Mandala - Makaravilakku festival season, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) selected the new melsanthis (chief priests) of Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples on Wednesday.
Mahesh P N, of Puthillathu Mana at Enanalloor in Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam, was selected as the melsanthi of Sabarimala temple. Murali P G, of Poongattu Mana at Vadakkekadu in Thozhiyur, Thrissur, is the new melsanthi of Malikappuram temple.
The selection was held through a draw of lots held in front of the sanctum sactorum in Sabarimala on Wednesday, the first day of Thulam.
The new melsanthis will take charge on November 17, the first day of Vrischikam, which also marks the beginning of the two-month-long pilgrimage season at the hill shrine.
On Wednesday morning, Melsanthi K Jayaraman Namboothiri opened the Sreekovil of Lord Ayyappa in the presence of Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru after which the selection of melsanthis was conducted.
The selection proceedings were led by Sabarimala special commissioner M Manoj. High Court-appointed observer Rtd Justice Padmanabhan Nair, TDB president K Ananthagopan, Devaswom commissioner B S Prakash, devaswom secretary G Baiju and Sabarimala executive officer V Krishna Kumar were present.