New melsanthi at Guruvayur Sreekrishna temple

THRISSUR: Pazhayathu Sumesh alias Aryan Namboothiri has been selected as the new melsanthi of the Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple through a draw of lots held at the temple on Friday. The term of the new melsanthi is six months and he will assume charge on April 1.  A total of 46 priests had applied for the post, of which 45 were called for the interview. Thirty six priests had turned up for the same. A draw of lots was held at the Namaskara mandapam of the temple after performing the uchapooja.    The lots were put in a silver urn and the outgoing chief priest Pottakuzhi Krishnan Namboothiri drew the lots. Aryan Namboothiri was selected in the presence of thantri Chennas Vasudevan Namboodiripad, Satheeshan Namboothiripad, Hari Namboothiripad, Guruvayur Devaswom chairman T V Chandramohan, administrator K Venugopal, Devaswom members and others. 34-year-old Aryan Namboothiri had applied for the post three times earlier. This is for the first time that he has been selected as the melsanthi of the Guruvayur temple. His father Pazhayathu Subramanyan Namboothiri and uncle Pazhayathu Krishnan Namboothiri had served as melsanthis at the same temple.