It was exactly 8 pm on Sunday, September 7, 2025. The Sabarimala hill, from its bustling base at Pampa-Triveni to the sacred heights above, was slowly sinking into the stillness of the night.
The Onam celebrations at the Ayyappa temple atop the hill had just concluded, and all the devotees who had crowded the temple had gone back. The hill temple, a place that sees a steady stream of devotees even during brief pilgrimages, was mostly deserted.
The doors of the famous temple remained closed, leaving only a few officials and priests of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) at Sannidhanam, where the temple is located.
As the hill slipped into the stillness of the cool night, TDB officials led by the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner (official in charge of valuable jewelery used to adorn the deities of the temples) and a Devaswom blacksmith carefully removed the gold-studded copper plates from the idols of the Dvarapalakas (statues guarding the deity at the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum).
This process, which lasted an hour, was video-recorded and a mahazar (document in which the proceedings of the official inspection are recorded) was prepared incorporating the physical condition and weight of all 12 sheets before they were taken to the temple cellars. By morning, the plates were taken to Smart Creations, a Chennai-based private company that claimed to have expertise in gold plating, as the metal plates had reportedly lost luster and developed cracks on the surface.
The development comes after R., the special commissioner of Sabarimala temple appointed by the Kerala High Court to oversee the temple management and related matters. There was a setback for Jayakrishnan.
When the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple opened for the Nirputhari rituals, pilgrims brought sheaves of paddy seeking blessings of Lord Ayyappa. , Photo Credit: Leju Kamal
A discreet inquiry confirmed his suspicions.
Jayakrishnan, who was also a serving district judge, did not believe that the gold-studded copper plates from the Dwarapalaka idols were removed and shifted out of the temple premises without the prior permission of the Devaswom bench of the court. Without wasting any time, Jayakrishnan brought the issue to the notice of the bench through his report.
“Repairs of gold jewelery are generally carried out in the temple premises and are done only with prior court approval. The court was not informed about this work. Strict directions should be issued to ensure that no major maintenance is carried out at Sannidhanam or Malikappuram without the permission of the High Court,” the report said.
While filing his report, little did Jayakrishnan realize that he was shedding light on a series of alleged irregularities and misdeeds that would shake the state in an unprecedented manner.
What initially appeared to be routine maintenance of damaged gold-studded copper plates was allegedly a planned robbery, carried out by a group of officials, middlemen and temple administrators, according to court observations.
Taking a cue from Jayakrishnan’s report, a division bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar raised the relevant question as to how the gold leaf lost its luster in the six-year restoration. The court, convinced of the clear violation of its earlier orders, ordered the immediate seizure of all relevant documents.
Makarjyoti darshan at Sabarimala Ayyappa temple on Tuesday.Leju Kamal. Photo Credit: Leju Kamal
Examination of the inscriptions revealed that the gold-studded copper plates weighed four kilograms less when they were brought back to the temple after being coated with gold. Even more shocking irregularities in the records went unnoticed and came to light later. The gold-plated copper plates were marked as copper plates at Mahazar while they were handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti, a Bengaluru-based Keralite who offered to sponsor the gold plating work.
It has also emerged that six years after reporting the reduction in weight of the metal sheets, TDB officials conveniently ignored this aspect and once again sent the metal parts to Smart Creations for re-plating. TDB officials had ignored the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner’s earlier warning that the agency lacked the expertise to handle gold plating in the process.
The vigilance investigation involved TDB officials Murari Babu, D. Sudheesh Kumar and S. Jayshree was held responsible in 2019 for misreporting gold sheets as “plain copper”. Following the High Court order, a special investigation team is probing all aspects of the scam. Meanwhile, the main accused Potti was arrested and interrogated in police custody.
Pandalam royal representative being welcomed at Sannidhanam. , Photo Credit: Leju Kamal
However, TDB president PS Prashanth is surprised by the alleged collusion of TDB officials and the alleged findings of vigilance officials regarding Potti’s involvement in the scam.
He says, “Verification of communications between the board and various parties will show that Potti’s name was not mentioned anywhere, and the plates were taken to Chennai under tight security. Unfortunately, the court decided to charge us despite no fault of ours.”
Concerned over the repeated lapses, the High Court directed the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer of the Board to conduct further investigation, and also raised concerns about the existence of the second set of Dwarapalaka idols and their pedestals, which were reportedly donated by Potti to the temple.
From this point the case took a sensational turn when Potti claimed that the pedestals were missing for six years. The complaint comes just after the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, in which the TDB, event organizers and the Kerala government claimed to have convened a meeting of Ayyappa devotees from across the world to identify and prioritize the development needs of the temple and its pilgrims.
Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.
The TDB immediately denied custody of the pedestals, while vigilance officials found that some of the pedestals had been returned in 2021 and were kept at the house of one of Potti’s close associates. The subsequent investigation revealed a series of procedural violations, unauthorized interventions and financial transactions involving the 2019 gold plating, including outsourced work on the temple’s side frames, door portals and lintels.
“The incidents have exposed the unholy nexus between TDB officials and some outsiders who claim close links with the temple,” said a TDB source.
“Last year, the High Court had to intervene to stop the almost 10-year-long stay of a high-profile businessman in a TDB guest house. The latest developments confirm the existence and operation of individuals supported by TDB,” he says.
Former TDB Chairman G. Raman Nair believes that there are several systemic loopholes which could be exploited by corrupt officials on duty at Sannidhanam to steal valuables or money from the hill temple. He says, “Documentation of valuables and income at Sabarimala is done by these officers. Any lapse in documentation, whether unintentional or intentional, can easily open the door to looting. Officers with spotless records should be deployed at the Sabarimala temple.”
A senior TDB official believes the case has confirmed the existence of an extensive ecosystem operating around Sabarimala, which thrives on the cult of Lord Ayyappa. This network often operates beyond the borders of Kerala, especially in the southern states.
“The way Potti allegedly took temple doors and jewelery to the homes of rich people in Bengaluru and Chennai for rituals and exhibitions shows his cunning skills,” he says.
Prashant also acknowledges the existence of such networks, which take advantage of the huge devotee base of Sabarimala and Lord Ayyappa, especially in the southern states. “The board can’t do anything, as these unsolicited activities mostly happen outside Kerala. Individuals like Potti promote themselves among rich people, claim to have links with the hill temple, and collect money by conducting rituals and offering sponsorships,” he says.
The Sabarimala controversy could not have come at a worse time for the ruling Left Democratic Front government. Just as it appeared that the Sangamam had the support of two major Hindu caste organizations, the Nair Service Society and the SNDP Yogam, the scam came to light. The state government is also feeling the heat of the issue, as at least three TDB chairmen appointed during its tenure are under intense scrutiny.
Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan suspects that political games are being played at Sabarimala to defame the government. “Soon after the conclusion of the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, a revelation by Potti on the missing pedestals was broadcast on a TV channel. The next day, the Leader of the Opposition raised it in the Assembly, highlighting the contents of the revelation. In the following days, the stolen object was eventually recovered from Potti’s possession.” Vasavan suspects that this development may be part of a planned conspiracy to defame the government.
The NSS is adopting a cautious stance on the controversies, while the SNDP Yogam has demanded a CBI inquiry.
The development has presented an opportunity for the Congress-led opposition to corner the government, especially at a time when elections to local bodies are about to be held.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan says, “The present Devaswom board removed the Dwarapalaka idols and other items in violation of the Devaswom manual and the High Court judgment. The Devaswom minister and the TDB are equally guilty in this matter. The Devaswom minister should resign, taking responsibility for the scam, and the board should be dismissed.”
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was monitoring the developments from the sidelines, has launched a public protest in Pathanamthitta.
Seven years after the turbulent protests that followed the Supreme Court order allowing women’s entry into Sabarimala, the temple is once again in the middle of political battles and raging controversies.
