SABARIMALA: AK Sudhir Nampoothiri, 43, of Areekara Mana, Thirunavaya, Tirur in Malappuram district, will be the new melsanthi of Lord Ayyappa temple here. And M S Parameswaran Nampoothiri, 57, of Madavana Mana, Parakadavu, Aluva, Ernakulam, is Malikappuram Devi temple’s new melsanthi. The selection, of the new melsanthis through a draw of lots, was conducted at the Sannidhanam after Usha pooja under the overall supervision of special commissioner Manoj.
Travancore Devasom Board president A Padmakumar, members K P Sankaradas and Vijayakumar, Devaswom Ombudsman Justice Bhaskaran, Devaswom Commissioner Harshan, Sabarimala Devaswom executive officer Sudheesh Kumar and administrative officer Sreekumar.
Malikappuram melsanthi
M S Parameswaran Nampoothiri is currently the melsanthi at Athani Sree Veera Hanuman temple. Earlier, he had been the melsanthi of Tripunithura Adayamapally temple, Edappally Anchumana Devi temple, Edappally Sree Ganapathi temple and Padivattom Lord Mahadeva temple. Wife Hema and sons Mahesh and Suresh make up Parameswaran Nampoothiri’s immediate family.
The new melsanthis, who have been appointed for a period of one year, will take charge on November 17 , the first day of the 2019-2020 pilgrimage season.
Both the melsanthis will have to undertake a month-long ‘bhajana vritham’ at the Sabarimala temple before assuming charge. Earlier, it was nine-year-old Madhav K Varma, son of Kerala Varma and Sruthi Varma of Kaippuzha Mundackal Palace, Pandalam, and eight-year-old Kanjana Varma, daughter of Kerala Varma and Seethalakshmi Varma of Kochukoickal Nalukettu Palace, Pandalam, who drew the lots for selecting the new melsanthis.