KOCHI: Were the original gold coverings of Sabarimala’s dwarapalaka idols, plated using the gold donated by industrialist Vijay Mallya, sold as “divine trophies” to the wealthy?
The contradictions in the statements of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials and the report its chief vigilance and security officer filed before the Kerala High Court certainly point to this possibility.
The TDB vigilance officer’s report submitted before the HC on October 6 said a comparison of the photographs of the gold-cladded panels taken on July 19, 2019 just before they were removed and of the new coverings taken on September 11, 2019, shows “marked differences”.
This validates the HC’s doubt that the copper plates entrusted by priest-turned-businessman Unnikrishnan Potti to Chennai-based Smart Creations could be totally different. It points at the possibility that the old panels were sold as trophies and that a different set of panels was provided for gold plating to Smart Creations. It is said people associated with Sabarimala temple cultivated the belief in wealthy devotees that keeping trophies from the temple will bring them prosperity.
Notably, there is also a 39-day delay between Potti receiving the panels and them being handed over to Smart Creations – the panels were handed over to Potti on July 20, 2019, but were delivered to Smart Creations on August 29, 2019.
Noting the reduction of 4.147 kg in the weight of the panels that were returned to Sabarimala on September 11, 2019, the HC had recently observed: “We had expressed doubt that the copper plates entrusted by Unnikrishnan Potti to Smart Creations may, in fact, have been another set altogether.”
Contradictions emerge on gold-cladding done on idols
Contradictions have also emerged in connection with the gold-cladding done on the dwarapalaka idols.
TDB deputy commissioner Murari Babu, who was suspended on Tuesday for lapses in connection with the gold cladding, told TNIE that the idols were not gold cladded under the sponsorship of Vijay Mallya in 1999. However, Senthil Nathan, the amalgamation expert engaged by Mallya to check the quality of work, refuted the argument by producing a photograph taken in 1999 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple with the gold-cladded idols in view.
Meanwhile, the TDB vigilance officer had also produced before the HC a letter issued by the manager of Mallya’s UB Group to the TDB secretary, endorsing that 1.564kg of gold was used for the cladding of the dwarapalaka idols in 1999.
Says the report: “The total quantity of gold utilised for the entire gold-cladding project which include (i) the roof of the Sreekovil (including the front and rear arches), (ii) the rain gutter above the Hundi, (iii) the Hundi in front of the Sopanam, (iv) the narrative panels depicting the story of Lord Ayyappa on both sides of the Sreekovil, (v) the front door of the Sreekovil and the arch above it, (vi) the two Dwarapalakas in front of the Sreekovil, (vii) three Ghanadwarams (Kamakudam), (viii) the side beadings and eight surrounding pillars, and (ix) five Kalasams, including those of Kannimoola Ganapathy and Nagaraja is recorded as 30,291 g. “
“This document conclusively establishes the dwarapalakas handed over by the devaswom board to Unnikrishnan Potti had been cladded with 1.564 kg of gold, and were therefore not mere copper plates, as inaccurately described in the mahazar dated July 19, 2019,” says the report.
Murari defended his actions, saying, “I submitted the report seeking permission for gold plating of the copper panels of the dwarapalaka idols before the TDB along with a recommendation letter from thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru.
The board suspended me alleging I mentioned the panels as copper plates in the report. Though the panels were gold plated, the base metal was copper,” Murari, who was the administrative officer of Sabarimala temple in 2019, told TNIE.
He also said that Vijay Mallya donated only 30.3 kg of gold for cladding which was used for covering the roof of the sanctum sanctorum.
“The dwarapalaka idols, the rain gutter above the offerings box, the front doors of the sreekovil, the kamakudam, the six pillars, etc, were gold plated later using 1.3kg of gold. As the quantity of gold used was low, the colour of the plates deteriorated by 2019 which necessitated re-plating that same year. Records of this will be available with the works division of the TDB,” Murari said.
Senthil differed. “The idols were covered with gold by Vijay Mallya, and I personally inspected the work in 1999 ,” he said, producing the photograph taken in 1999 as proof.
The HC has allowed the vigilance officer to compare the photos of the gold plated panels taken to Chennai this September 7, with the one brought back last week to verify if there have been further alterations.
Meanwhile, Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam national chairman S J R Kumar has written to additional chief secretary (home) demanding the state government should recommend a CBI inquiry into the theft and substitution of the gold cladding. He said the interstate connections and suspected collusion of TDB officials should be probed.