‘As a humble seeker’: President Murmu prays at Sabarimala, BJP gives ‘faith’ message | Watch
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Kerala unit shared a video of President Droupadi Murmu’s journey, saying she walked the same path as millions of devotees
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, becoming the first woman head of state to do so. The Bharatiya Janata Party's Kerala unit shared a video of the President’s journey, saying her visit was a message in faith an humility.
“Barefoot, in sacred black attire, and carrying the sacred Irumudi Kettu on her head, Her Excellency Hon’ble President Droupadi Murmu ji walked the same path that millions of Ayyappa devotees have followed for centuries - not as the Head of State, but as a humble seeker of blessings,” BJP Keralam wrote on X.
The party added that President Murmu followed every tradition without bypassing a single custom or seeking any exception. “Faith isn’t about breaking barriers, it’s about respecting them and still walking the path with conviction,” the post added.
The Rashtrapati Bhawan also shared the visuals from the visit.
Droupadi Murmu is only the second Indian President to visit the hill shrine, located deep in the district's forests. The late President V V Giri was the first to visit the temple in the 1970s. So Murmu's visit made her the first woman head of state to make the pilgrimage.
Also read: How did helipad collapse shortly after landing of President Droupadi Murmu's helicopter in Kerala?
President Murmu’s journey to Sabarimala
President Droupadi Murmu reached Pamba in a special convoy around 11 am, washed her feet in the Pampa river, and offered prayers at nearby temples, including the Lord Ganapathy shrine.
The melshanthi (chief priest) of the Ganapathy temple, Vishnu Namboothiri, filled the sacred bundle, or irumudikkettu, of Murmu —who was dressed in a black saree— at the Kettunira Mandapam.
President Murmu, along with her son-in-law and staff, later broke coconuts at a stone wall near the temple.
Carrying the sacred bundles on their heads, they boarded four-wheel-drive vehicles that took them to the Sannidhanam along the 4.5 km-long Swami Ayyappan Road and the traditional trekking path to the shrine.
At Sannidhanam, President Murmu climbed the 18 holy steps to reach the sanctum, where she was greeted by State Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P S Prasanth.
The temple tantri, Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru, welcomed her with a 'poorna kumbha'.
At the shrine, she performed darshan of Lord Ayyappa with the sacred bundle on her head. Later, she and her team placed their irumudikkettu on the steps, which were then taken by the melshanthi for pooja.
After completing her darshan, the President also offered prayers at the adjacent temples, including those of Vavaraswamy and Malikappuram.
Before leaving for lunch and rest at the guesthouse, TDB officials presented Murmu with an idol of Lord Ayyappa.
Devotee darshan was restricted during the President’s visit, according to the Board.
