SANNIDHANAM: V N Vausdevan Namboothiri has been selected Sabarimala chief priest while Chengannur native M N Narayanan Namboothiri has been elected the chief priest of Malikappuram.

A native of Palakkad, Vasudevan Namboothiri is currently the head priest of Bangalore Sreejalahalli.

The lot for selecting the chief priests were drawn today (Thursday) morning at 8 am by Pandalam royal family member Rishikesh S Varma and Durga Ramdas Raja.

The term of the post of chief priests is one year.

The new chief priests will climb the hillock with Irumudi on the 30th day of Tulam. After that Thantri Kandarau Rajeevar will perform abhiskekam on chief priests and lead them to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Inside the temple the Thantri will administer the ‘moolamanthram’ to the new priests.