Thiruvananthapuram:
The ornaments, cash and gold discovered at Kerala's Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple need to be digitally archived before the last secret chamber is forced open, said the Supreme Court.
Five of the six underground vaults at the 16th-century temple have so far been explored. They have delivered unimaginable treasure, worth a reported 100,000 crores, much of it allegedly donated by devotees led by the former royal family of Travancore.
Vault B has not been touched so far. Local superstition warns of bad luck if it is entered. The Supreme Court has said that while it will be mindful of tradition and the sentiments of devotees, it will decide when the vault should be opened at its own discretion and not in consultation with priests.
Today, the court also reviewed the security provided at the temple by the Kerala government. It asked for shops and the offices of political parties to be moved from the temple's larger complex. The court also asked for the inventory of the assets found so far to be completed at the earliest. A committee of experts has been appointed by the court to supervise the process. The court wants the state government to strike a better deal with the company that will provide archiving services - a firm shortlisted has asked for 3.16 crores, deemed too high by the Supreme Court today.
The vaults at the temple are being monitored by the Supreme Court after a local activist in Thiruvananthapuram accused the trust which governs the temple of mismanagement.