Row over removal of gold-plated sheets; HC asks executive officer and Devaswom Commissioner to give explanation regarding lapse

KOCHI: The High Court has taken a tough stand on the gold-plated sheets controversy at the Sabarimala Dharmasastha temple. The court has asked the Sabarimala Executive Officer, the Devaswom Commissioner and the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner to give an explanation for the lapses committed by the Devaswom Board. The court had ordered that the gold plated sheets on the Dwarpalaka sculptures in front of the shrine be brought back.

The High Court has ordered the return of the gold-plated sheets that were taken to Chennai. Special Commissioner R Jayakrishnan had submitted a report to the High Court alleging that the gold-plated sheets on the Dwarapalaka sculptures in front of the shrine were removed without the permission of the court. The High Court Devaswom Bench had directed that gold work should be done in the sanctum sanctorum only with the permission of the court. The report pointed out that non-compliance with this was a serious lapse. The court's order came after this.

Devaswom Board President P.S. Prashanth had said that the gold-plated copper plates on the sculptures were taken to Chennai for repair as they were damaged. The permission and consent of the Thantri have been obtained. The permission of the Special Commissioner is not required for this. Sabarimala Assistant Executive Officer Hemanth, Administrative Officer Sreenivasan, Thiruvabharanam Special Commissioner Rejilal, Devaswom Vigilance SI Rakesh, two police officers from Vigilance, Devaswom Smith, two Devaswom guards, and a representative of the sponsor who donated the gold plates went to Chennai. The president had also said that the journey was in a safe vehicle.

The work on the doors was carried out following the Tantric instructions to repair the steps and doors of Dwarapalaka and Sopanam from 2023. Permission to remove the plates on the day of the closing of the temple after the Onam pujas was granted, based on the Tantric suggestion that the tears and discolouration of the Dwarapalaka plates should be repaired immediately. PS Prashanth said that it was decided to carry out purification rituals and reinstall the plates on the third day of the month of Kanni, adding that other statements are baseless.