New chief priest for Guruvayur temple

GURUVAYUR: T M Unnikrishnan Namboodiri was Friday chosen as the melsanthi (chief priest) of famous Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple for a period of six months from April 1.

He will be succeeding the outgoing chief priest Pazhayth Subramanian Namboodiripad.

The selection was done by draw of lot from a list of 51 short listed candidates, temple authorities said.

The melsanthi, appointed for six month period, will preside over all important poojas and rituals of the temple from the wee hours till late in the night.

There are about 30 sub-priests to assist the chief priest in conducting rituals and ceremonies of Guruvayur temple, the richest Hindu shrine of Kerala, visited by thousands all through the year.

Unninkrisnnan Namboodiripad is now the priest of the Ayyappankvu temple at Cherplassery in Palakkad District.