New Melsanthi for Guruvayur Temple

Chekur Manakkal Devadasan Bhattathiripad, 54, was elected the new Melsanthi of the Sree Krishna Temple here for a term of six months on Monday.

The new Melsanthi will assume charge after the ‘Athazhapuja’ on September 31. Before the ceremony, he will observe a 12-day ‘bhajan’ at the temple. Devadasan Bhattathiripad was elected through a draw of lots conducted in front of the temple shire. His term will commence from October 1 to March 31. The tenure of the present Melsanthi Koottanadu Pazhayath Sumesh Namboothiri will be completed on September 30. The final selection occurred after ‘Uchcha Puja’, when the present Melsanthi drew the lots. Temple Thantri Chennas Vasudevan Namboodirippad and Chennas Satheeshan Namboothiripad, Devaswom Managing Committee chairman T V Chandramohan and administrator P K Jayasree were present on the occasion.

Devadasan Bhattathiripad is currently working for Dhanalakshmi Bank, Parali. He is a native of Chekur Manakkal in Noorani, Palakkad. His father, the late Vasudevan Bhattathiripad, had also served six times as Melsanthi of the Sree Krishna Temple.