Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 24 TDB president K Jayakumar on Thursday said a gold crown donated to Sabarimala is safe in the temple strongroom, denying reports that the 55.72-sovereign crown was missing.
There were reports that the gold crown donated by a devotee was missing from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) strongroom at Sabarimala Sannidhanam and was also not found at a similar facility in Aranmula.
Speaking to reporters, Jayakumar said he had received a report from the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner confirming that the crown was in the strongroom at Sannidhanam.
“So, this was offered in 2012 by Vaidyanatha Swami from Tamil Nadu. Every year when he comes, he only leaves after seeing this adorned on the deity. Therefore, this is kept in the strongroom at Sabarimala itself,” he said.
He said the crown was temporarily shifted from one strongroom to an adjacent one as the old facility was being demolished as part of the expansion of the Aravana plant.
The crown was insured by the devotee and is kept under the responsibility of the Administrative Officer to be adorned on special occasions, Jayakumar said.
He said confusion arose after another crown-like object made of copper was found.
“It is assumed that this decorative item might have been brought as an adornment by one of the devotees performing the Pushpabhishekam ritual. This fancy item is currently in the custody of the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner. The fancy item—not the original, the duplicate one,” he said.
Jayakumar said Thiruvabharanam Commissioner personally saw and verified the gold crown during an inspection on September 23 in connection with the relocation of the sacred ornaments from the old strongroom to the new one.
“I have no reason to distrust our Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, R Rejilal; he saw it with his own eyes. It is there,” Jayakumar said.
He said Justice KT Sankaran, appointed by the Kerala High Court to inspect valuables at the Sabarimala temple, had also inspected the crown and was convinced that it was safe at Sannidhanam.
He said the crown had not been shifted to Aranmula as it had to be available at Sabarimala whenever the donor visits and requests that it be adorned on the deity.
“That is why it was not taken to Aranmula. Since the other items didn’t need to be stored in Sannidhanam, they were moved and kept at Aranmula,” he said.
He said that TDB is also assessing the valuables of the Sabarimala temple, which is being carried out by a team led by Rejilal.
(PTI News)
