Areekkara Subrahmanyan Sankaran Namboothiri drawn as Sabarimala Melshanthi, Damodaran Namboothiri for Malikappuram

19 October 2026

Areekkara Subrahmanyan Sankaran Namboothiri of Pulimoodu in Thiruvananthapuram was selected as Melshanthi, or chief priest, of the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple.
A. Damodaran Namboothiri of Maniyoor in Vadakara, Kozhikode, was selected as chief priest of the Malikappuram Devi Temple.
Both were chosen by the traditional draw of lots at the temple complex, with Devanandan Arjun of the Pandalam Royal Family drawing the lots.
Subrahmanyan Sankaran Namboothiri was picked from a panel of seven candidates and Damodaran Namboothiri from a panel of five.
Subrahmanyan Sankaran Namboothiri is currently chief priest of the Pazhavangadi Ganapathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram and has served as a chief priest at various temples for 21 years.
Damodaran Namboothiri, currently chief priest of the Payyoli Temple, said he had been shortlisted for five consecutive years before being selected.
Both will assume charge on Vrischikam 1, which begins the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.