Kerala High Court Orders Probe into Sabarimala Dwarapalaka Idols’ 4 Kg Gold Weight Loss
The weight of the gold-cladded Dwarapalakas at the Sabarimala temple has reportedly been "reducing" by more than 4 kg since 2019, according to a probe ordered by the Kerala High Court on Wednesday.
The Travancore Devaswom Board's (TDB) Chief Vigilance and Security Officer, a Superintendent of Police, was ordered by the court to look into the situation and provide a report within three weeks.
A Division Bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and K.V. Jayakumar stated that an explanation is required because the idols' weight decreased by more than 4 kg from 42.8 kg. They also instructed the TDB to assist with the investigation
The court also ordered the board to determine whether the idols' pedestals had been kept safely in the strong room and questioned why the idols' weight had not been verified in 2019 before they were reinstalled at the temple.
The Chief Vigilance and Security Officer had confiscated numerous registers and mahazars in accordance with the recent orders from the High Court.
According to the court, a significant amount of gold was needed in order to install gold-cladded Dwarapalakas at the Sreekovil's entrance using traditional methods, which was sanctioned in 1999.
The removal of the gold-cladded copper plates in 2019 took place without the presence of vigilance officials. Together, the copper plates and peedoms that supported the Dwarapalakas weighed 42.8 kg.
According to the records, the seventh respondent, sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty, was not escorted by any Devaswom official when he traveled to the Smart Creations company's Chennai location, where they were subsequently taken for plating in July 2019.
But according to the documents, the two peedoms and the twelve copper plates with gold cladding were made at the company a month and nine days later. According to the Bench, "we are shocked to note that the mahazar of August 2019 records the total weight of the said items as merely 38.258 kg."
The weight recorded at Sannidhanam has been drastically and inexplicably reduced by 4.54 kg. Only the gold-cladding itself is vulnerable to such diminution. This disparity is concerning and necessitates a thorough investigation. Another set of copper plates could have been among the items the sponsor had entrusted to the firm. Additionally, it stated that the Devaswom Officials who were on the scene did not report this weight reduction.
The Chief Vigilance and Security Officer's September 2019 mahazar, which details the re-fixing of the Dwarapalakas and Peedoms in the Sopanam, is even more startling to read. There was no record of the weight of the items that were refixed. It is also possible that the failure was deliberate in order to prevent these aspects from being discovered. The court further stated that it goes without saying that the failure to mention it indicates grave administrative errors.
Together, the inexplicable weight loss of the gold-cladded copper plates, the careless way in which these priceless items were delivered to the sponsor in violation of protocol, the lengthy and unwarranted delay in their production prior to the Chennai firm, and the willful listing of the gold-cladded plates as simply "copper plates" in the 2019 mahazars all point to a troubling pattern of egregious negligence and likely misconduct. According to the court, these anomalies are of the highest magnitude and go right to the heart of the honesty and openness that ought to govern the management of a temple of such holiness and public confidence.
The officer in this case must also look into the shortcomings surrounding the September 8, 2025, sudden and covert transfer of the gold-cladded copper plates to the sponsor without any prior notice. The court stated and scheduled the hearing for September 30 that he would thoroughly investigate Mr. Potty's role, involvement, and goals in claiming to be a sponsor.
Sabarimala temple news
Kerala High Court latest orders
Dwarapalaka idols weight loss
Sabarimala gold cladding controversy
Travancore Devaswom Board news
Kerala temple corruption case
Sabarimala temple investigation
Unnikrishnan Potty sponsor case
Kerala temple gold missing news
Sabarimala High Court verdict
