President Droupadi Murmu Offers Prayers at Sabarimala Temple

President Droupadi Murmu offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, Kerala, on 22 October, becoming the first woman President of India to do so. Her visit marks the second by any Indian President since V. V. Giri’s pilgrimage in the 1970s and holds immense symbolic value in the context of women’s participation in religious spaces.

Historic Visit to Lord Ayyappa Shrine

President Murmu reached Pamba around 11 a.m. and began her pilgrimage in traditional style by washing her feet in the Pampa River and visiting nearby temples, including the Lord Ganapathy shrine. Carrying the sacred ‘Irumudi’ bundle, she and her entourage travelled to Sannidhanam through the Swami Ayyappan Road before ascending the 18 holy steps to the sanctum sanctorum, where she offered prayers to Lord Ayyappa.

Warm Reception and Temple Rituals

At the temple, she was received by Kerala’s Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President P. S. Prasanth. The temple’s Tantri, Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru, welcomed her with a traditional ‘poorna kumbha’. President Murmu performed ‘darshan’ and puja, after which the head priest, or melshanti, conducted rituals using the sacred bundles brought by her team.

Context of the 2018 Supreme Court Verdict

Her visit carries broader significance in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling that lifted the centuries-old restriction on women aged 10 to 50 entering Sabarimala. The verdict upheld the constitutional right to gender equality and religious freedom, sparking nationwide discussions on tradition and inclusion. President Murmu’s pilgrimage underscored devotion within the bounds of faith and law.

Related GK Facts

• The Sabarimala Temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa and is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world.
• Devotees traditionally climb 18 sacred steps representing spiritual enlightenment.
• The temple attracts over 40 million pilgrims each year during the Mandala-Makaravilakku season.
• President V. V. Giri was the first Indian President to visit the shrine in the early 1970s.

Kerala Visit and Upcoming Engagements

President Murmu is on a four-day visit to Kerala, during which she will unveil a bust of former President K. R. Narayanan at Raj Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. She is also set to inaugurate the Mahasamadhi Centenary observance of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, and participate in the platinum jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas College, Palai, as well as the centenary of St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam.