Pathanamthitta: Areekkara Subrahmanyan Sankaran Namboothiri of Areekkara Illam, Pulimoodu in Thiruvananthapuram has been selected as the melsanthi (chief priest) of the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala for a one-year term beginning with the upcoming Mandala–Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.He was selected through a draw of lots held at the Sabarimala shrine after Ushapuja on the first day of the Malayalam month of Thulam. The draw was overseen by Sabarimala Special Commissioner R Jayakrishnan and devaswom commissioner B Sunilkumar.Shankaran Namboothiri, currently the melsanthi of Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, said he would visit Sabarimala on Monday to seek Lord Ayyappa’s blessings.Damodaran Namboothiri A of Aayadathu Illam, Vadakara in Kozhikode, was selected as the melsanthi of Malikappuram Devi Temple through a separate draw. Both priests will arrive at Sabarimala on Thulam 30 (Nov) to assume charge. They will succeed Prasad E D of Thrissur and Manu Namboothiri M G of Kollam, respectively.
