File photo of Kandararu Brahmadathan hoisting the flag marking the opening of the annual festival at the Ettumanur Mahadeva Temple, Kottayam. He will be the chief priest of Sabarimala.
| Photo Credit: VISHNU PRATHAP
Kandararu Brahmadathan of the Thazhamon Madhom will be appointed the Tantri (Chief Priest) of the Sabarimala Temple, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) decided on Saturday (July 25, 2026).
The decision was taken at a TDB meeting attended by TDB president K. Jayakumar and members K. Raju and P.D. Santhosh Kumar.
Mr. Brahmadathan, who is the son of former tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, will hold the position for one year from Chingam 1 of Malayalam era 1202 (August 17, 2026) to Karkkadakam 31, 1202 (August 16, 2027).
Earlier this month, citing ill health, Mr. Rajeevaru had requested that he be relieved as the Tantri.
Mr. Rajeevaru had also been arraigned as an accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case. In a letter to the TDB, Mr. Rajeevaru had also requested that his son succeed him as Sabarimala Tantri.
The Kerala High Court had asked the Travancore Devaswom Board to take a call on the appointment of Mr. Brahmadathan as the Tantri. A Division Bench of Justices V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar wanted the Court to be informed about the Tantri position by July 27.
Published – July 25, 2026 02:44 pm IST
