Bring back gold-plated sheets of Sabarimala idols, HC tells TDB

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday asked the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to bring back the gold-plated sheets on the Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple entrance that had been taken to a Chennai-based facility for restoration.

The Devaswom Bench of the court criticised the board, observing that it was inappropriate to remove the plates without its prior approval. Stating that there was sufficient time to seek permission beforehand, a Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar directed the board to submit a report on Friday.

The court said the gold plating of the idols was done in 2019, with a 40-year warranty. “If that be so, we fail to comprehend the rationale behind dispatching the same plates once again to the same concern in 2025, after mere six years. Moreover, such plating works are ordinarily done under strict supervision on the Sannidhanam premises.”

The TDB had earlier said the gold-plated copper sheets were transported to the Chennai-based facility for restoration, with the approval of the temple Tantri and the board. This was after the Special Commissioner informed the Kerala High Court that the sheets on the Dwarapalaka idols at the temple entrance were detached without the court’s approval.

He pointed out that such work was usually carried out within the temple premises and only after obtaining explicit approval from the court. His report had cited the need for strict directives to the board not to conduct any major maintenance at the Sannidhanam or Malikappuram without prior permission.

The board had said that the gold-plated sheets were transferred in a secure vehicle, under the supervision of the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, Sabarimala Administrative Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, temple smith, and Vigilance officials.

TDB president P.S. Prashanth had alleged that a controversy was being fuelled by vested interests to discredit the board’s Global Ayyappa Sangamam.