S. Girish Kumar, Former Sabarimala Keezhsanthi, Selected as Pampa Melshanthi
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| S. Girish Kumar |
Pampa: A draw was held after 10 am on Monday at the Pampa Maha Ganapathi Temple to select the Melshanthis of Pampa Devaswom for the 2026–27 period. Brahmashree S. Girish Kumar Namboothiri, Shanthi of Padanaikulangara Devaswom under the Karunagappally Group and a former Keezhsanthi (assistant priest) of the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Swamy Temple and Brahmashree M.S. Sreekumaran Namboothiri, Shanthi of Ambalathubhagam Devaswom under the Karunagappally Group, were selected as the Pampa Devaswom Melshanthis.
At Sabarimala, a draw was held after the Usha Pooja to select the Sabarimala Devaswom Ulkazhakam, also known as the Keezhsanthi, for the 2026–27 period. Brahmashree Ganesh Bhatt (B. Ganesh Prasad), Shanthi of Kavallurkonam Devaswom under the Ulloor Group of the Travancore Devaswom Board, was selected for the post.
The Sabarimala selection was held in the presence of Devaswom Commissioner B. Sunil Kumar, Sabarimala Special Commissioner J. Jayakrishnan and Sabarimala Executive Officer P.S. Shanthakumar.
The Sabarimala temple was opened early Monday morning for the Chingam Masa pooja, with a large number of devotees arriving at the Sannidhanam from 5 am.
Both selections were conducted through the traditional draw-of-lots procedure.