India’s first female president, Droupadi Murmu, visited Sabarimala Temple on Oct. 22, 2025, becoming the second president to do so, and performed rituals amid heavy rain.

President Droupadi Murmu, India’s first woman head of state, visited the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala on October 22, 2025, becoming the second Indian president to do so after V.V. Giri. Arriving by road at Pamba due to bad weather—her helicopter diverted to Pramadom Stadium—she wore a black saree, carried the sacred irumudikettu bundle on her head, and climbed the 18 steps to the shrine, performing traditional rituals including darshan, prayer, and receiving prasadam. The temple was closed to pilgrims during her visit, which highlighted her adherence to tradition and underscored the spiritual significance of the site. She was presented with a kumbil wood idol of Lord Ayyappa and rested at the guest house before returning to Thiruvananthapuram.