Pathanamthitta (Kerala), October 22: President Droupadi Murmu visited the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala on Wednesday, the second day of her four-day visit to Kerala. She offered prayers with full rituals and prayed to Lord Ayyappa for the peace and well-being of the countrymen. However, before this, her helicopter narrowly escaped an accident. The helicopter’s tyres got slightly dented in the helipad. No one was injured in the incident.
The President reached Pampa early in the morning, took a bath in the holy river and offered prayers at the Pampa Ganapathy temple, where she performed the traditional Kettunira (filling the Irumudikettu) ritual. Before going to the Sabarimala temple, she completed other traditional rituals including tying the Irumudi.
President Draupadi Murmu today offered prayers at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, praying for peace, happiness, and prosperity for all the countrymen. Dressed in traditional black attire and holding an Irumudikettu, the President climbed the sacred 18 steps (Pathinettampadi) and had darshan of Lord Ayyappa amidst tight security.
This historic visit, part of her four-day visit to Kerala, is being seen as a tribute to ancient traditions and a powerful message of women’s empowerment and social equality. The President’s pilgrimage to the sacred hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa was carefully planned, taking into account security protocols and temple traditions.
Security arrangements were significantly tightened in the Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas for the President’s visit. The Special Protection Group (SPG) and the Kerala Police, along with other agencies, took charge of the security arrangements. Crowd management was also given special attention for security purposes.
Meanwhile, the helicopter carrying President Draupadi Murmu suffered a minor accident while landing at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Pramadam, Konni, Pathanamthitta. Upon landing, the helicopter’s tires slightly dented the newly laid concrete surface of the helipad. The helicopter was scheduled to land in Nilakkal, but due to inclement weather, the landing site was shifted to the indoor stadium in Pramadam. The helipad at the new site had only been constructed this morning, and the concrete had not fully set, causing the aircraft’s weight to sink into the soft surface.
Police and fire department personnel responded quickly and manually repositioned the helicopter. President Murmu’s program was unaffected, and she continued her program without interruption. Officials stated that the incident may be reviewed as a possible security lapse.
President Draupadi Murmu’s four-day visit to Kerala is packed with events of cultural and political significance. Upon returning from Sabarimala, she will attend a special dinner hosted by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram. On October 23, the President will unveil a statue of former President K.R. Narayanan, the first President of Kerala, at the Raj Bhavan at 10:30 a.m. Prominent leaders from the political and social fields will attend the event. She will then travel to Varkala to attend the Sri Narayana Guru Mahasamadhi Centenary Celebrations in Sivagiri as the chief guest at 12:50 p.m. The day will conclude with the inauguration of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of St. Thomas College, Pala, at 4:15 p.m., after which she will spend the night at a resort in Kumarakom.
The President’s visit will conclude on October 24, when she will be the chief guest at the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa’s College, Kochi. After lunch at Bolgatty Palace, she will depart from Kochi Naval Base for Nedumbassery International Airport and return to New Delhi at 4:05 p.m. This will conclude her four-day official visit.