55.72-Pavan Gold Crown Missing from Sabarimala Strong Room; Imitation Crown Found in Its Place; Worth ₹26 Lakh Then, ₹62 Lakh Now
The crown was reportedly offered by Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu in August 2012. Although the offering is recorded in the official register, an imitation crown of the same design and size is currently reportedly kept in the strong room. The imitation crown also has a white stone resembling a diamond embedded in it.
When the devotees offered the crown in 2012, its weight was recorded as 445.78 grams. However, the crown currently kept in the strong room weighs only 240 grams, indicating a substantial difference in weight. The crown was reportedly valued at around ₹26 lakh in 2012, while its present value is estimated at around ₹62 lakh, according to reports.
The crown was offered at Sabarimala on August 17, 2012, when the temple opened for the Chingam month. The devotees, who were chartered accountants from Tamil Nadu, received a receipt for the offering. The crown was subsequently taken to the sanctum and adorned on the idol of Lord Ayyappa before being moved to the strong room at Sannidhanam.
The strong room reportedly did not have CCTV surveillance at the time.
For clarity, “articles” in this report refers to sacred items such as ornaments and others.
Valuable offerings received at Sabarimala are generally kept temporarily in the strong room at Sannidhanam before being transferred to the Travancore Devaswom Board’s strong room at Aranmula. However, the missing crown is reportedly not among the articles transferred to Aranmula. The circumstances surrounding its disappearance can be established only through a detailed investigation.
Meanwhile, a four-sovereign gold chain has also reportedly been found missing from the TDB-owned strong room at Aranmula. In another case, silver horns studded with precious stones have reportedly gone missing from the OTC Hanuman Temple near the Kerala Legislative Assembly complex in Thiruvananthapuram. TDB President K. Jayakumar has ordered an inquiry into the incidents.
The latest discovery comes amid the ongoing inventory of valuable articles at Sabarimala, being conducted in the context of the gold-related cases at the temple. The inventory, under the supervision of Justice K.T. Shankaran, Amicus Curiae appointed by the Kerala High Court, is reportedly in its final stage.
There are specific procedures governing access to the Sabarimala strong room. The posts of Sannidhanam Administrator and Executive Officer are held for one-year terms. Under the prescribed procedure, the strong room can be opened only during the daytime, with the key kept by the administrative officer responsible for the room. The room must be opened in the presence of the Executive Officer, while a Devaswom guard must also be present.
All procedures carried out from the opening of the strong room until its closure are required to be recorded in a mahazar, or official record, with the prescribed signatures. The reported discrepancy has therefore raised questions about the handling, verification and security of valuable temple articles stored at Sannidhanam.