New Melsanthi for Guruvayur temple

Thrissur: Unnikrishnan Namboodiri was on Friday selected as the new Melsanthi of the Guruvayur Sreekrishna Temple.

He was selected by a draw of lots at the temple from five priests shortlisted for the post.

Interview

In all, 58 priests had applied for the post, of whom 56 appeared for interview.

Tanthri Chennas Vasudevan Namboodiripad, Ooralan Mallissery Parameswaran Namboodiripad, Administrator K.N. Raji, and managing committee members T.R. Haari, K.V. Babu and A.V. Chandran were present.

Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, 36, who hails from the Thekkumpurathu Mana in Karalmanna, was Melsanthi of the Sastha Temple at Cherpulassery for 10 years.

The six-month term of the new Melsanthi begins on April 1.