THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The properties and administration of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple and the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trust are totally separate, said the Travancore royal family. Referring to a report in TNIE titled ‘With coffers empty, Padmanabhaswamy temple to seek help from royal family’ published on June 15, 2020, Adithya Varma, representing the family, and the trust clarified that historically the temple was under the control and administration of the Travancore Maharaja.
“With the Covenant coming into force in 1949, with the concurrence and guarantee of the Government of India, the administration of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, with effect from 1 August 1949, was to be conducted subject to the control and supervision of the Ruler of Travancore by an Executive Officer appointed by him,” the clarification said. “On April 24, 2014, the Supreme Court, by an interim order, appointed a committee to administer the temple matters.
From June 18, 2017, V Ratheesan is the Executive Officer. In 1965, the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Trust was created by Maharaja Sri Chithira Thirunal entirely out of his personal assets in order to continue carrying out the rituals and services offered by him and his family to the temple,” it said. “The properties and administration of the temple and the Trust are totally separate. They are two definite legal entities. At no time did the Trust administer the temple.
Nor did it claim or enjoy any of the temple assets. The amount paid annually to the Temple as Vilavasi was raised from time to time, from the original `1.4 lakh to `25 lakh and the said amount was paid on May 18, 2020. The Executive Officer’s statement demanding an increase in Vilavasi from `5 lakh to `25 lakh is misleading. The Trust also gave `50 lakh for the Lakshadeepam festival of 2020. The Trust and the royal family take strong exception to the observations of Ratheesan, the Executive Officer,” said the clarification.