The two-day interview for the new Sabarimala and Malikappuram melsanthis began at the headquarters of the Travancore Devaswom Board in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. An aggregate number of 72 candidates are attending the interview for the post of Sabarimala melsanthi. Meanwhile, there are 38 aspirants for the post of Malikappuram melsanthi.
After the interview, a rank list will be prepared from the shortlisted aspirants, who secure a minimum of 60 percent marks. A seven-member interview committee, consisting of Travancore Devaswom Board president M P Govindan Nair, Travancore Devaswom Board members Subhash Vasu and P K Kumaran, devaswom commissioner P Venugopal, Sabarimala thantri Kandararu Maheswararu and Kandararu Rajivaru and thantri Akeeramon Kalidasa Bhattathiri will select the list.