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Droupadi Murmu Set to Become the First Indian President to Visit Sabarimala Temple on May 19
President Droupadi Murmu will become the first sitting President of India to offer prayers at the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple in Kerala on May 19, in what is being hailed as a historic moment by temple authorities.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the temple, confirmed the visit and said preparations are underway. “It’s the first time a President is visiting Sabarimala. Urgent road repairs and other arrangements have begun. Once official confirmation is received, the Chief Minister will convene a coordination meeting,” said TDB president P.S. Prasanth.
President Murmu is scheduled to arrive in Kerala on May 18 for a two-day visit. After attending a private function in Kottayam district, she will travel to the Nilakkal helipad and proceed to the Pampa base camp the following morning. From there, she may either undertake the 4.25-km traditional trek to the hilltop shrine or be driven via the emergency road. The final decision will be taken by the Special Protection Group (SPG), which is overseeing security arrangements.
Authorities are also considering whether the President will carry the Irumudi, a sacred bundle traditionally borne by pilgrims. “We await instructions from the President’s office on this matter,” Prasanth added.
Due to the high-security visit, darshan for devotees will be suspended on May 18 and 19. The temple, which opened on May 14 for the monthly poojas of the Malayalam month of Edavam, is expected to see restricted footfall, and virtual queue bookings have also been temporarily halted.
Located at an altitude of 3,000 feet in Pathanamthitta district, Sabarimala is one of South India’s most significant pilgrimage sites. Devotees usually observe a 41-day period of penance and walk barefoot to the temple, carrying the Irumudi as a spiritual offering.
President Murmu’s visit will be the first by a sitting head of state. The last high-profile political figure to visit the shrine was V.V. Giri, who did so while serving as Kerala Governor in the early 1960s, prior to his election as President in 1969.
