File photo of the 16th century Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram
Huge amounts of gold and silver donated by devotees at the famous temple Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala have not been reported by the trustees, a report to the Supreme Court says. Describing this and other parts of the report as "disturbing", the court has said it will intervene soon with an order on "an extremely serious matter." (
Supreme Court panel hints at mismanagement of wealth in Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple)
In July 2011, a treasure trove of gold, diamonds and precious stones worth thousands of crores and hidden for centuries was discovered in the underground vaults of the temple, which is dedicated to Lord Padmanabhaswamy and dates back to the 16th century.
Alleging huge lapses in the management of the vast wealth of the temple, located in Thiruvananthapuram, noted lawyer Gopal Subramaniam has suggested that the Supreme Court order a formal audit by Vinod Rai, who has served as the national auditor.
Mr Subramaniam was appointed by the court to help it assess the claims made by a Public Interest Litigation or PIL of the temple's management siphoning off vast amounts of valuables.
"Offerings by devotees are not accounted for...the public temple has been treated for all effects and purposes as a private fiefdom," Mr Subramaniam has said in his report.
The temple was built and managed by the former rulers of Travancore. The head of the former royal family still controls the temple, unlike other temples in Kerala which are managed by the government.
The vast underground vaults were searched in 2011 after a local lawyer petitioned a court to order the government to take over the temple as it did not have adequate security to protect its wealth. The Supreme Court then set up a committee to open the long-sealed vaults and take stock of the treasure.