There is a dispute at Kerala’s Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple after a recent inventory check revealed an imitation crown in place of the gold crown at the shrine. Initially, there was speculation that the original crown (445.78 grams) had been missing and that the imitation crown was to replace it with a much lighter imitation crown of about 240 grams. But the Travancore Devaswom Board has confirmed that the original crown is not missing and is in the Aranmula strong room.
The issue came to light in a detailed verification of temple ornaments and valuables that was being carried out under the supervision of Kerala High Court-appointed amicus curiae Justice K.T. Sankaran. The exercise covers valuables kept at Sabarimala as well as the strong room at Aranmula.
The original crown weighed 445.78 Grams
According to the initial report, the crown was originally submitted by devotees from Tamil Nadu in August 2012. Records clearly indicated that the crown was formally received at the temple before being taken to the sanctum and placed on the idol of Lord Ayyappa. It was taken to the strong room for safekeeping.
The original crown was said to weigh 445.78 grams and was about 55.72 grams of gold (apart from the precious stones). During the inventory, officials found another crown of only 240 grams and wondered if the original one had been replaced.
The lighter crown looked similar to the original and had white stones that resembled diamonds, the reports said, and further scrutiny was taken during the verification process.
How the Discrepancy was Detected
The difference in weight proved to be a crucial factor during the inventory process. The original crown was much heavier than the ornament in the strong room, and officials were more inclined to look at it.
Some reports also asked about the security arrangements surrounding the storage of valuable temple ornaments. According to one report, the location where the valuables were kept did not have CCTV surveillance.
The inventory is part of a wider verification exercise regarding temple valuables. Such exercises are designed to check whether the items reported in official registers are physically present and match their descriptions.
Devaswom Board Says Crown May Be Safe at Aranmula
In the wake of the press reports that the gold crown was stolen, Travancore Devaswom Board president K. Jayakumar issued a clarification saying that the crown should be at the Aranmula strong room and not in Sabarimala.
A later report quoted Jayakumar as saying that information from the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner indicated that the crown was indeed at Aranmula. He said the Board would verify its presence and had called the commissioner to provide an explanation.
This clarification means that the first reports of the crown being stolen should be treated cautiously until the ongoing verification is completed.
Another Gold Ornament Also Missing
The inventory exercise has also raised questions about another valuable item. A four-sovereign gold chain was reportedly found missing from the Aranmula strong room during the verification process.
The Devaswom Board has said that the inventory process should be completed before responsibility for any discrepancies is decided. The records, storage procedures, and movement of the ornaments should be examined before a conclusion is made.
Questions Over Temple Security
But it has also raised broader questions about the process through which such valuable offerings are safeguarded in major temples.
According to reports, high-value offerings received at Sabarimala are entered into records before being transferred to storage facilities. Valuable ornaments are then moved to the Aranmula strong room under established procedures.
The discovery of an imitation crown has thus compelled the documentation, handling, and security mechanisms involved in the movement and storage of temple valuables to be investigated.
The key issue remains to be verified. Although the 445.78-gram crown was described as missing and a 240-gram imitation crown found, the Devaswom Board says the original crown is safe at Aranmula.
Details will be given after the inventory and verification process is completed and the concerned officials have submitted their findings.
