President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday visited Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, one of the most well-known Hindu pilgrimage centres in the country.
She climbed the ‘pathinettampadi’ (revered 18 steps) while carrying ‘irumudikettu’ (offering for the God). She was accompanied by her bodyguards who climbed the hill along with her.
When the President reached the ‘Sannidanam’, Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanan received her with the ‘poornakumbam’. ADC Saurabh S Nair, PSO Vinay Mathur and the President’s son-in-law Ganesh Chandra Hombram, also climbed the steps with Irumudikkettu.
#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu offers prayers at Sabarimala Temple in Kerala
(Source: PRD, Kerala) pic.x.com/HnX0ITjYFA
— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2025
Kerala Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan was at the Sannidhanam to receive the President. After taking part in the ‘uchapuja’ (special afternoon prayers), she will rest at the Devaswom Guest House.
President Murmu reached Pathanamthitta by helicopter in the morning. From there , by road she proceeded to Pampa, the base station of the Sabarimala hill shrine. After completing the traditional rituals, including the tying of the ’Irumudi’ at the Pampa Ganapathi temple, she proceeded to Sabarimala in a four-wheel vehicle via Swami Ayyappan Road, making her the first head of state to reach Sannidhanam in a vehicle.
In 1973, then President V V Giri reached Sannidhanam using the dolly service. In fact, dolly service was introduced in Sabarimala for his visit.
The president will return to Thiruvananthapuram by night. She will then attend a dinner hosted by Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar at Hotel Hyatt Regency.