Thiruvananthapuram: President Draupadi Murmu today offered prayers at the sacred Sabarimala Temple, a first in history. However, her helicopter narrowly escaped an accident. Its tires dented the helipad. No one was injured in the incident.
President’s Helicopter Tires Squeezed
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 dented the newly laid concrete surface of the helipad.
The helicopter was originally scheduled to land at Nilakkal. However, due to adverse weather, the landing site was shifted to the indoor stadium in Pramadam. The construction of the helipad at the new site had been completed earlier that morning, and the concrete had not fully set, causing the soft surface to cave in under the weight of the aircraft.
Police and fire department personnel responded immediately and manually repositioned the helicopter. President Murmu’s program was unaffected, and she continued her journey without interruption. Although there was no immediate threat, officials have indicated that the incident may be reviewed as a possible security lapse.
President Murmu Makes History
President Draupadi Murmu became the first President of India to offer prayers at the sacred Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple today. This historic visit, part of her four-day tour of 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. She is scheduled to depart by helicopter from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport at 9:35 am and land at the base camp in Nilakkal.
From Nilakkal, the President will travel by road to Pamba. As per tradition, she will offer the sacred ‘Irumudi Kettu’ (bundle of offerings) at the Pampa Ganapathy Temple. Deviating from the usual walking route, President Murmu will be taken to the Sannidhanam (sanctum sanctorum) via the Swami Ayyappan Road in a special Gorkha jeep, avoiding the convoy of traditional vehicles. She is expected to have darshan at around 11:50 am.
After darshan and a brief rest, the President will begin her return journey after lunch at the Devaswom Guest House. She will depart for Pamba at around 3:00 pm. She will then return to Nilakkal by road and then return to Thiruvananthapuram by helicopter at 4:20 pm.
Security arrangements have been significantly tightened in and around Sabarimala for the President’s visit. The Special Protection Group (SPG) is working closely with the Kerala Police and other agencies. Crowd management is being given special attention for security.
Temple officials have confirmed that there will be no complete ban on the entry of devotees during the President’s visit. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials, along with the temple’s Tantri (chief priest), will be present to receive the President as per temple customs.
Highlights of the Four-Day Kerala Itinerary
President Murmu’s 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 the statue of former President K.R. Narayanan – Kerala’s first President – at Raj Bhavan at 10:30 am. The event will be attended by prominent leaders from the political and social fields. She will then proceed to Varkala at 12:50 pm to attend the Sri Narayana Guru Mahasamadhi Centenary Celebrations in Sivagiri as the Chief Guest.
The day will conclude with the inauguration of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas College, Pala, at 4:15 pm, after which she will spend the night at a resort in Kumarakom. The visit will conclude on October 24. President Murmu 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 pm. This will conclude her four-day official visit.
