SABARIMALA: N Parameswaran Namboothiri of Thattarambalam in Mavelikkara has been appointed as the new Melshanthi (chief priest) of Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple while Shambhu Namboothiri of Kuruvakkattu Illam, Kozhikode, has been selected as the Malikappuram Devi Temple Melshanthi.
Parameswaran Namboothiri belongs to Kaliyikkal Madom, Thattarambalam, Mavelikkara. He will be the Melshanthi in Sabarimala for one year from November 16 when the Mandala Puja season commences.
Parameswaran Nampoothiri, 49, is the son of late Narayanan Nampoothiri and Subadhra Antharjanam. He is now the Melsanthi of Sree Krishnaswami Temple, Evoor in the Alappuzha district. He had also served as the Melsanthi of Pampa Maha Ganapathi Temple, Chettikulangara Temple, and Sree Krishna Swami temple, Haripad.
His wife Umadevi Antharjanam is working as a teacher in Infant Jesus School, Mavelikkara. Sons Narayanan Nampoothiri (student at IIT-Dharwad, Karnataka) and Vishnu Nampoothiri (student at Bishop More College Mavelikkara).
Kozhikode native Shambhu Namboothiri, who has been selected as the Melshanti of Malikapuram Devi Temple, said this was the tenth time he applied for the post. The selection was made by drawing lots from a panel of priests shortlisted after the interviews conducted by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
“This was the tenth time I applied for the post and the last two times I have been shortlisted to the final list of the selection process. Finally, during this term, I have got the opportunity to serve this major responsibility and all thanks to the almighty and the prayers of hundreds of devotees coming to my temple," he said.
He expressed the hope that the spread of the Covid pandemic subsides and the current restrictions at Sabarimala are removed so that the devotees get the chance to visit both Sabarimala and Malikapuram again and again.
Currently, Shambu Namboothiri is working as the chief priest at
Kannancherry Maha Ganapati temple. He has been serving here for the past 20 years. It was 21 years back Shambu Namboothiri came to Kozhikode and settled here, away from his native Pariyaram in the Kannur district.