THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: VK Jayaraj Potty has been chosen as new melsanthi (head priest) for Sabarimala temple, for the major pilgrim season starting from November 16, by a draw of lot held at the temple on Saturday morning.
VK Jayaraj Potty of Varikkad Madom family at Kodungallur in Thrissur district in the state got selected as Sabarimala melsanthi from a list of nine candidates shortlisted for the position. The selection of melsanthi to Malikappuram upa devatha temple within the Sabarimala temple precinct was also selected through a draw of lot.
Rajikumar AN alias Janardhanan Namboothiri is the new melsanthi of Malikappuram temple. He got selected from the 10 candidates shortlisted for the position.
The selection of candidates to both the positions are valid for a year, starting from the new pilgrim season initiating from November 15.
Melsanthis' of both the temples are customarily selected through a draw of lot in Sabarimala when the temple is opened for Thulamasa (Thulam month in Malayalam calendar) monthly poojas. The draw of lot was held in the presence of temple thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, representatives of Travancore Devaswom Board and an observer appointed by Kerala high court.
Upon chosen to the spiritually coveted position, Jayaraj Potty profusely thanked the Lord Ayyappa for giving him a cherished opportunity and said his first and foremost pray to the lord would be a for a Covid-19 free world.
Both the melsanthis, as the custom insists, would took a pilgrimage to Sabarimala temple on November 15, on the eve of the beginning of the new pilgrimage season and would remain closeted there for a one whole year, until the new melsanthi's for the next year take over the positions from them.
Meanwhile, after seven long months, Sabarimala temple was opened for pilgrims on Saturday in connection with the Thulamasa, monthly, pooja. A restricted number of pilgrims who have reserved their names with the virtual queue system have been given permission to visit the temple from October 17 to 21. Maximum number of pilgrims allowed for a day is 250 during the five-day festival. Covid-19 negative certificate is a precondition for pilgrims visiting the temple and they are also supposed to strictly adhere to other mandatory Covid protocols.