SREE PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE CELLARS KEEP REVEAL WIDE RANGE OF VALUABLE ARTICLES

SREE PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE CELLARS

 KEEP REVEAL WIDE RANGE OF ARTICLES

     As the opening of cellars of the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple here continues to reveal treasure troves, Kerala government Friday, 1st, July, 2011, decided to step up security of the sprawling shrine complex. The Supreme Court-appointed panel to prepare an inventory of articles in the inner chambers today gave indications that the process might take more time than initially expected as the treasures surpassed everybody’s imagination.

   Since the exercise started on Monday, three cellars have been examined fully and the list of articles found prepared. Preparation of inventory of articles found in the fourth chamber, which revealed a stunning range of precious articles, continued today. Two more chambers will be unlocked in the coming days, sources said. A panel member, who did not want to be identified, told PTI that the whole process was a painstaking one as utmost care has to be paid to each article taken out, considering their intrinsic and heritage value. "We cannot simply take them and keep them anywhere. We take each item, clean it, re-arrange it and keep it in a safer place after sealing. Details of this process cannot be revealed due to security concerns," he said. "So, the process of enlisting all the articles will take time and we cannot say when the inventory will be completed," he said.

     The Supreme Court ordered preparation of the inventory while staying a Kerala High Court order instructing the state to take over the temple run by a trust controlled by the erstwhile Travancore Royal family. The trust had approached the apex court seeking to cancel the High Court order issued while considering a private petition which alleged that the management of the wealthy temple lacked transparency. Even as it stayed the High Court decision, the apex court ordered preparation of an inventory of the priceless articles stashed away in the temple cellars. One of the chambers opened yesterday was said to have been remained shut for 130 years. It turned out to be a virtual treasure trove of precious gold ornaments, jewels, stone-studded crowns, vessels, platters, lamps, solid gold objects and a wide range of other curios of immense hertiage and intrinsic value. Though the panel members had made it clear that assessing the monetary value of the articles was not their task, temple sources said the articles taken out and listed so far were worth thousands of crores of rupees. Of the remaning two chambers to be searched, one was partly opened but was found to have an inner recess whose unlocking was a delicate job, sources said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said security of the temple complex would be tightened in view of the development.

                                                                        Prof. John Kurakar