Priceless Sabarimala Yogadanda Missing After Gold Plating
Pathanamthitta: Information has emerged that the priceless Yogadanda (sacred staff) taken from the Sabarimala sanctum for gold plating has not been returned. The ancient Yogadanda, believed to be ancient, was taken for gold plating in 2018. However, after the work, a newly made Yogadanda was brought back instead. Records indicate that neither the original Yogadanda nor the associated silver ornaments were ever logged into the temple’s strongroom register.
During Mandala-Makaravilakku and other special occasions, when the temple closes, Lord Ayyappa is ritually placed in Yoganidra (divine meditation). Traditionally, the deity is adorned with the Yogadanda carved from cane, a single-faced Rudraksha garland, and anointed with sacred ash before being placed in Yoganidra. Until 2018, both the Yogadanda and the Rudraksha garland were coated with silver. Their ritual and heritage value is considered priceless, deepening suspicions that the originals may have been misappropriated.
In 2018, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) decided to gold-plate the Yogadanda and apply a gold coating on the Rudraksha garland. However, the High Court had not granted permission to take these sacred items out of the temple. A senior official from that time has revealed that no weighing or official mahazar (inspection record) was prepared when the items were taken out.
Even today, Devaswom Board officials reportedly do not know how much gold was applied to the Rudraksha or whether the original silver components were reused. There are no records of the weight of the items when they were returned either.
According to available information, the Yogadanda are ancient artifact of Ayyappa’s idol is believed to be the one that went missing. Experts suggest that only a detailed probe with the assistance of the Archaeology Department, including metallurgical examination of the Rudraksha and the staff, can reveal the truth.
Traditionally, no work inside the sanctum sanctorum is carried out without the permission of the Tantri (chief priest), but all concerned have remained silent on this matter.