Murmu’s Sabarimala visit carried deeper subplots, got eclipsed by political mudslinging

Droupadi Murmu’s historic visit to the Sabarimala temple, the first by a woman President and only the second by any Indian head of state after VV Giri, has taken on a distinct political undertone in Kerala. What began as a moment of faith and tradition has been swiftly drawn into the state’s ongoing political slugfest, with BJP leaders not wasting the occasion to criticise the ruling LDF government.

Deeper social subtext

Dressed in black, the colour traditionally worn by Ayyappa devotees, Murmu performed the pilgrimage in the full ritualistic manner, carrying the ‘irumudikkettu’ and offering prayers at the sanctum sanctorum. Her visit has attracted attention not only for its religious significance but also for its deeper social and political subtext. “It is significant that the president, herself from a tribal community, has visited a temple originally consecrated by the Mala Araya tribe,” said tribal leader, author, and historian PK Sajeev. “It symbolically reconnects the shrine with its indigenous roots, which have long been overshadowed by mainstream narratives.”

Also read: President Droupadi Murmu offers prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala

However, the political messaging around the visit soon became evident. With the LDF government under pressure due to the ongoing gold smuggling investigation, the BJP has sought to project the president’s visit as an act of divine timing. Party leaders and social media handles amplified images of Murmu’s pilgrimage, contrasting what they described as “purity of devotion” with the “moral decay” of those in power.

Devotion vs moral decay narrative

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar hailed the moment on X, writing, “She is 67. She broke no rules, hurt no faith – she only honoured it. In doing so, she became the first President ever to carry the Irumudi and bow before Lord Ayyappa.”

He said that Murmu’s visit to Sabarimala “reminds us that devotion doesn’t shout, it simply stands tall. A moment that reflects the deep faith uniting millions of Ayyappa devotees across India. Those 18 steps have seen debate and defiance, yet devotion always finds its dignity.”

Among the more vocal figures from the state was former DGP and BJP leader TP Senkumar, who took a jab at Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan for accompanying the president without offering prayers himself. Senkumar’s social media post — which used language many described as undignified — drew sharp reactions but also gained traction among BJP supporters who saw it as a pointed political remark.

Also read: Suspended Sabarimala officer Murari Babu arrested in missing gold case

Earlier, a BJP delegation met President Murmu at the Kerala Raj Bhavan before her departure to Sabarimala, conveying their concerns over the ongoing gold heist investigation. The delegation was led by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and included Union Minister V Muraleedharan, as well as former state party presidents K Surendran and Kummanam Rajasekharan. The meeting was widely interpreted as an effort by the party to highlight the issue at the highest level while aligning it with the president’s symbolic temple visit.

Helipad incident, logistical challenges

The presidential visit also faced a few logistical challenges. A portion of the freshly-built helipad at Pramadam in Pathanamthitta caved in moments after the president’s chopper landed on it. Police and air force personnel had to manually push the wheel of the helicopter in position, creating a spectacle widely circulated on television and social media. Heavy rain and falling trees further disrupted local arrangements, adding to the day’s operational difficulties.

Also read: What we know about President Droupadi Murmu’s chopper glitch in Kerala

These minor incidents became fodder for political commentary, with opposition supporters turning them into memes and messages on social media, while government officials downplayed them as routine operational challenges.

Row over sanctum sanctorum photo

Amid the attention surrounding her visit, the Rashtrapati Bhavan removed a photo of Murmu praying at the Malikappuram Temple in Sabarimala from the social media platform X after it drew widespread criticism. The image, which showed the inside of the sanctum sanctorum (sreekovil) and the idol, was objected to by devotees and temple authorities for revealing a sacred space, prompting the presidential residence to take it down.

The photo controversy escalated after a Kerala Police officer posted a criticism on his WhatsApp status, accusing the BJP and the Rashtrapati Bhavan of breaking traditions. He wrote that now the BJP does not want to take out any protest yatra, suggesting that if it had been an LDF leader, the party would have taken it to the streets. The officer later deleted the post, clarifying that it had been shared accidentally after being forwarded to his phone.

Watch: Sabarimala missing gold signals deeper systemic flaws, says Aravind Subramanyam | Interview

For Kerala, where religion and politics often intersect, President Murmu’s visit carried layers of meaning, cultural, spiritual, and political. While her pilgrimage to Sabarimala may have been an act of devotion, the responses it evoked reveal how quickly even symbolic gestures of faith are interpreted through the lens of the state’s sharp political divisions.