Droupadi Murmu will visit the Sabarimala temple in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district on May 19, the first such visit by an incumbent President.

She is set to arrive in Kerala on a two-day trip on May 18 and visit the shrine the next day.

The temple will open on May 14, which marks the beginning of the Malayalam month of Edavam.

P.S. Prasanth, the president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) that manages the temple, told The Telegraph that urgent road repair and construction work was being undertaken for Murmu's visit.

“This is the first time a President has decided to visit the Sabarimala shrine. The Special Protection Group (SPG) will take a call on whether the President will trek from the base camp at Pamba or take the steep hill road to the temple. She will be arriving at Kottayam to attend a private function on May 18. The next morning, she is scheduled to reach the Sabarimala Nilakkal helipad,” Prasanth said.

He said the President would then travel via road to the Pamba base camp.

“The SPG will take a call on whether the President will trek the 4.25km uphill path at 3,000 feet above sea level or not. She is expected to prepare the Irumudi, the sacred offering, at the Pamba base camp,” Prasanth added.

The last time a VVIP statesman had visited the temple was V.V. Giri, who served as the Kerala governor from 1960 to 1965. Later, Giri became the Vice-President in 1967 and was elevated to the office of the President in 1969.

The Sabarimala temple had attracted more than 50 lakh pilgrims between January 2024 and January 2025.