New Sannidhanam Melsanthi feels humbled at destiny's hand
Before that he served as a priest at Elamakkara Perandoor Bhagavathy temple in Ernakulam for 17 years.
Thirssur: A.V. Unnikrishnan Namboothiri, 57, of Mangalathu Azhakathu Mana in Kodakara here, who has been appointed head priest at the hilly shrine of Sabarimala, is presently the head priest of Azhakam Sree Durgadevi temple in Kodakara. Before that he served as a priest at Elamakkara Perandoor Bhagavathy temple in Ernakulam for 17 years.
Soon after the news on his appointment broke out, devotees of Sree Durgadevi temple flocked his house 'Nivedya' near the Bhagavathy temple. Unnikrishnan Namboothiri, who received the visitors with humility, told them that he felt humbled by the opportunity destiny granted him to serve the deity at the hilly shrine. Unnikrishnan Namboothiri began his priesthood as an assistant for the head priests of Cochin Devaswom Board. For a brief time, he was a priest at RK Puram Ayyappa Temple in Delhi.
Prasanna Antha-rjanam of Cholamattam Kaplingad Illam is his wife. Thanthri Vishnu Namboothiri and Dr Vasudevan Namboothiri of Oushadi at Kuttanellur in Thrissur are his sons. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of Art of living, Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan and BJP MLA O Rajagopal congratulated him over the phone. Education Minister C. Raveendranath, Chalakudy MLA B.D. Devasya reached his house at Azhakam to felicitate him.