Gold Sheets Cannot Be Returned, Says TDB Chief
Thiruvananthapuram: The gold sheets from the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Sannidhanam, which were sent for repair, cannot be brought back, said Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth. He told the media that this fact will be submitted before the Kerala High Court, along with a review petition on the matter.
The High Court had recently ordered that the gold sheets, sent for repair, should be brought back immediately. Following this directive, the TDB president responded with his statement.
According to him, the gold sheets were damaged due to coin offerings by devotees. Both tantri families had given written directions to replace them. Based on this, the Board decided to proceed, and a team led by the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, along with the Administrative Officer, Executive Officer, and Vigilance Wing officials, carried out the work. The process involved a chemical treatment, which makes it technically impossible to reverse now. This will be presented before the court along with the review petition.
At the same time, Prasanth alleged that a massive misinformation campaign is being spread against the Devaswom Board. “It is being propagated that we committed some offence. There were even baseless rumours of gold smuggling during a lunar eclipse, and claims that the guardian idols were taken away. In reality, the sanctum doors and guardian idols together account for 360 sovereigns of gold, but this issue concerns only 16 grams, donated by a devotee,” he clarified.
Calling it purely a technical problem, Prasanth explained that the damage occurred due to coins hitting the sheets. He added that written requests from the tantri families, along with video documentation, are in place. All actions were taken transparently, with the presence of the devotee who made the offering. “Yet, attempts are being made to portray us as culprits. We have only tried to safeguard rituals and traditions. The court has never called us thieves, but we are being hunted as if we are,” he said.
Earlier, the High Court had ordered the immediate return of the gold sheets sent for repair from the guardian idols located on either side of the Sabarimala sanctum. The court observed that the removal and transportation of the sheets to Chennai had been done without informing the Special Commissioner or the High Court. Notices were issued to the Devaswom Commissioner, Executive Officer, and Thiruvabharanam Commissioner to explain why no action was taken.
The bench comprising Justice V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice K.V. Jayakumar also directed that all related files on the decision to send the sheets without prior approval be produced in court by Friday. The order came after the Special Commissioner filed a report pointing out that the repairs were carried out without mandatory permission from the High Court.