First woman president at Sabarimala: Murmu’s visit marred by helicopter mishap on newly laid helipad

President Droupadi Murmu, the first Indian woman head of state and only the second Indian President overall to visit the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, offered prayers on Wednesday, marking a historic moment in the shrine’s long tradition. The first Indian President to visit Sabarimala was V V Giri in the 1970s, who was transported to the shrine on a wheeled platform or carriage called a dolly, instead of walking the traditional trekking path.

President Murmu traveled from Pamba to Sannidhanam in a convoy of five four-wheel-drive vehicles escorted by Kerala Police, covering the 4.5-km Swami Ayyappan Road trekking route. She was greeted at Pramadam by Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony, and other dignitaries.

Sabarimala is one of India’s most venerated pilgrimage sites, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, who is considered a celibate deity. Traditionally, women aged 10 to 50, of menstruating age, are not allowed to enter, based on beliefs that this maintains the sanctity of the shrine and the deity’s celibacy. Girls below 10 and women above 50 can visit, which allowed President Murmu to offer prayers. Her visit is being seen as a symbol of women’s empowerment, showing that women can hold the highest positions in the country while participating in spiritual and cultural spaces historically dominated by men. It is expected to inspire more women to confidently take part in pilgrimages and public life, respecting tradition while breaking barriers.

Her four-day Kerala itinerary includes unveiling a bust of former President K R Narayanan, inaugurating the Mahasamadhi Centenary celebrations of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, attending the valedictory function of St Thomas College, Pala, and concluding with the centenary celebrations of St Teresa’s College in Ernakulam on October 24.

The historic visit, however, began with a minor but notable mishap. When President Murmu’s helicopter landed at the newly constructed helipad at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Pramadam at 8:40 am, its wheels sank slightly into freshly laid concrete. TV visuals showed police and fire personnel working to free the helicopter, and while no injuries occurred, security experts described it as a narrow escape.

A senior police officer said the helipad was built specifically for the President’s visit, after the originally planned Nilackal site near Pamba was abandoned due to bad weather. “The concrete had not fully set and could not bear the helicopter’s weight,” the officer explained. Authorities were aware of the risk, but delaying the landing was not an option due to the President’s tight itinerary.

President Murmu arrived in Thiruvananthapuram Tuesday evening to begin her four-day official visit to Kerala.

President Murmu’s visit to Sabarimala is being hailed not only as a historic milestone in the temple’s long tradition but also as a symbol of women’s empowerment, showing that women can actively participate in spiritual, cultural, and public life. Despite the helicopter mishap, her successful darshan and adherence to the pilgrimage path send a strong message of courage, representation, and breaking barriers for future generations of women devotees and leaders alike.