Sabarimala Gold Scandal; Organised Crime ?
The controversy surrounding the Sabarimala Dwarapalaka (guardian idol) panels continues to grow, as old records and new testimonies reveal a complex story of donations, reworkings, and administrative confusion. The debate — whether the panels were originally gold or copper — spans more than two decades, from Vijay Mallya’s golden offering in 1998–99 to the copper controversy in 2019 and now, renewed investigations in 2025.
1998–1999: Vijay Mallya’s Golden Offering
Between 1998 and 1999, Vijay Mallya, chairman of the U.B. Group, made a grand offering of over 30 kilograms of pure gold to the Sabarimala temple. Out of this, more than 5 kilograms were used to decorate the Dwarapalaka idols that stand on either side of the sanctum.
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| Vijay Mallya |
The work was supervised by Senthilnath, a Tamil Nadu native living in Kochi, who was appointed by Mallya himself to oversee the project. Senthilnath said he was present at Sannidhanam when the gold sheets were applied to the idols.
Ravikumar, who served as the Chief Engineer of the Travancore Devaswom Board (1997–2013), confirmed that the idols were covered with pure gold foil, not copper.
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| Ravikumar |
He explained that seven thin layers of gold were laminated over the sculptures, and that detailed records of this work are available at both the Sabarimala Devaswom Office and the Pathanamthitta Deputy Commissioner’s Office.
In 2019 July: Records Show “Copper,” Not Gold
Twenty years later, in 2019, temple records surprisingly described the same panels as “copper” in a letter
Tantri kandararu rajeevaru in position of Sabarimala tantri wrote a letter for replating of plates to murari babu.
Murari Babu, who was the Administrative Officer of Sabarimala at the time, submitted a report on June 2019, describing the Dwarapalaka panels as “copper plates.”
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| Murari Babu |
He later explained, “I submitted a report based on a letter from the temple Tantri, The gold-plated surface had worn off, exposing the copper below. I simply recorded what I saw — there was copper.”
On July 20, 2019, records that Unnikrishnan Potty, Sponser, was entrusted with replating the copper plates with gold that covered the north and south walls of the sanctum.
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| Unnikrishnan Potty |
Bangalore connections:
At that time, Melshanthi (chief priest) V. N. Vasudevan Namboodiri, who had earlier served at the Sreejalahalli Ayyappa Temple in Bengaluru, was appointed as Melsanthi of Sabarimala for the 2018–2019 period. He was among those who signed the 2019 Mahasar.
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| V. N. Vasudevan Namboodiri |
Unnikrishnan Potty, the sponsor & was a former priest of Ayyappa temple in Bangaluru, had come to Sabarimala around ten years earlier as an assistant to the Keezhshanti (assistant priest). Over time, Potty developed strong links with industrialist devotees from different states and abroad.
He became known for arranging special facilities for wealthy devotees to perform Padi Pooja — the sacred ritual at the temple’s 18 holy steps.
Earlier, such poojas were conducted only during the pilgrimage season or monthly poojas, but Potty reportedly organized them on special non-season days, often charging large sums of money from devotees for these exclusive arrangements.
According to sources, Unnikrishnan Potty took the Sabarimala Dwarapalaka panels to Bengaluru, where they were first displayed at the Sriramapura Sri Dharma Sastha Temple.
Later, the same panels were showcased in Andhra Pradesh, at the Penthurthi Ayyappa Temple, before being brought to Chennai.
Major Change:
On August 17, 2019, Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu of the Thazhamon Madom family assumed charge as the Tantri (chief priest) of Sabarimala, as part of the family’s rotational system.
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| Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu |
By the time he took charge, the Dwarapalaka's plates for plating had already been taken out of Sabarimala. The handover of these plates to Unnikrishnan Potti had occurred earlier, under the tenure of the previous Tantri, Kandararu Rajeevararu.
However, the 2019 Mahasar — the official record documenting the condition and material of the plates — was prepared only after Maheswararu took charge. It was signed by Tantri Maheswararu Mohanararu, even though the plates were handed over during Tantri Rajeevararu’s period.
In Chennai, the panels were displayed during a special pooja ceremony, attended by actor Jayaram and singer Veeramani. After these ceremonies, the panels were finally taken to Smart Creations in Chennai for the replating work, as mentioned in the 2019 records.
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| Chennai |
By August 29, 2019, the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner visited Smart Creation Company in Chennai and noted that 14 parts of the sheets were handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty. The inspection revealed a delay of 39 days, but confirmed that the work was carried out with the consent of the Devaswom Board President A Padmakumar (CPIM) and members.
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| A Padmakumar (CPIM) |
However, several irregularities were later found as per sources.
The Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, who is the official custodian of the temple’s treasures, did not sign the Mahasar. Neither did the Devaswom smith, who should verify the quality of the metal, nor the vigilance officer, who must oversee the procedure.
The quantity, weight, and value of the gold and copper used were also not mentioned in the document.
The Mahasar, prepared by Executive Officer V. S. Rajendra Prasad, was signed by twelve people, including:
Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanar, Melshanthi V N Vasudevan Namboothiri, duty guards R Somasekharan Nair, P S Kannan, watchers C Suresh Babu, S Divakaran, Sabarimala Maramath Third Grade Overseer Varun Karunakaran, head accountant R Sankaranarayanan, sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty, administrative officer S Sreekumar and executive officer V S Rajendra Prasad.
The replated panels were brought back on September 11, 2019, and fixed on the Dwarapalaka idols.
High Court Action and SIT Investigation
In September 2025, the Travancore Devaswom Board once again removed the Dwarapalaka panels, saying that they had further deteriorated.
However, the Sabarimala Special Commissioner informed the Kerala High Court on September 9 that this removal had happened without prior court approval.
During the investigation that followed, two pedestals were found at the residence of Unnikrishnan Potty’s sister in Thiruvananthapuram on September 28, adding new weight to the controversy.
According to official records:
The 1998 documents describe the panels as gold,
The 2019 documents record them as copper,
And according to Unnikrishnan Potty, the officials handed over copper sheets in 2019, as mentioned in the records.
Following this, the Kerala High Court ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) - ADGP H.VENKATESH to conduct a detailed probe into the entire matter.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) subsequently suspended several 2019 officials involved in the replating process.
(TDB) has suspended present Deputy Commissioner then Sabarimala Administrative Officer B. Murari Babu over his 2019 report that described the Dwarapalaka sculptures at Sabarimala as “copper plates,” a lapse the Board termed serious.
Responding to the board’s decision, Mr. Murari Babu told mediapersons that he had recorded the sculptures as copper because their base metal was copper, with gold plating applied over it.
“If I had recorded it as gold, it would imply the entire structure was made of gold, which it was not,” he explained. “The processes were followed correctly. My report was only a preliminary one, and higher officials, along with technical experts, made the final assessment. As an employee of the Devaswom Board for over 30 years, I accept the board’s decision,” he added.
Murari Babu stated that the mention of copper plating in the mahazar (official report) was based on a letter from the Tantri (chief priest). He clarified that the document he submitted was only a preliminary report. Babu also pointed out that it was the responsibility of the higher officials and the Devaswom Board to verify and review the report after he had submitted it.
He added that his report was examined by the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner before any further actions were taken. “The inspection was conducted by the Commissioner, and the panels were removed in July 2019, long after my tenure had ended,” Murari Babu explained. He currently serves as a Deputy Commissioner in the Travancore Devaswom Board.
According to the Devaswom Vigilance report submitted to the High Court, the 2019 Mahazar (official inspection record) describing the Sabarimala panels as copper sheets had been prepared under the direction of the Administrative Officer, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, and Executive Officer — with Murari Babu allegedly giving the instruction. It was in this context that Murari Babu issued his clarification.
Questions Arise:
Sabarimala Gold Mystery: Organised Crime ?
Were the Original Gold Coverings Sold for ‘Crores’?
Contradictions in the statements of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials — and the findings presented by its chief vigilance and security officer before the Kerala High Court — have deepened suspicions that the original gold coverings of Sabarimala’s Dwarapalaka idols may have been sold off for huge sums of money.
In a report submitted to the High Court on October 6, the TDB vigilance officer noted that a comparison of photographs taken on July 19, 2019, just before the gold-clad panels were removed, and on September 11, 2019, after the new coverings were installed, revealed “marked differences.”
Why was the Mahasar (official report) prepared after Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu became the chief priest in 2019 aug 17 ? Was it done on purpose to drag his name into the controversy ?
There’s also a 39-day delay that adds to the mystery. The gold-covered panels were given to Unnikrishnan Potti on July 20, 2019 Under tantri kandararu rajeevaru and Sabarimala Administrative Officer mentions Tantri letter also, but Unnikrishnan Potti handed them over to Smart Creations in Chennai only on August 29, 2019. This long gap has raised doubts about what really happened to the original panels during that time.
When the panels were finally returned to Sabarimala on September 11, 2019, their weight was 4.147 kilograms less than before. Seeing this difference, the Kerala High Court noted:
“We had expressed doubt that the copper plates entrusted by Unnikrishnan Potti to Smart Creations may, in fact, have been another set altogether.”
Reaction of Tantri
On October 8 : Tantri Kandararu Rajeevar has expressed that Ayyappa devotees are hurt by the controversies surrounding the Sabarimala gold plating issue. He clarified that he never instructed anyone to tamper with the panels of the Dwarapalaka idols. “When a letter was sent to me regarding this matter, I merely responded to it,” he added.
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| Kandararu Rajeevar |
He emphasized that the matter falls under the court’s investigation, and he has nothing further to say. Tantri Rajeevar confirmed that the gold donated by Vijay Mallya to Sabarimala is genuine, with only minor fading at the base portions. He explicitly stated that he never gave permission to send the Dwarapalaka idols to Chennai for gold plating.
He further clarified that even if the idols were taken to Chennai for plating, it was without his consent. “Everything is gold, not copper. All the letters I sent clearly mentioned that it was gold. Including the Dwarapalaka idols, everything is gold. Whether in 2019 or now, I never instructed that they be taken out for gold plating,” Tantri Rajeevar said.