Sabarimala: SIT probe to include repair works of Ayyappa’s Yoga danda, Japa Mala

Pathanamthitta: The investigation into irregularities at Sabarimala has been expanded to include the repair works carried out in 2019 on Lord Ayyappa’s Yoga danda (T-shaped wooden stick) and Japa Mala (a string of prayer beads). The Special Investigation Team (SIT) decided to probe this aspect based on the statement of one of the accused, who reportedly said that the old Yoga danda and Japa Mala were replaced with new ones. The probe also follows the High Court’s directive to the SIT to investigate alleged irregularities dating back to 2014.

The works were carried out during the Vishu festival in 2019, when A Padmakumar was the Devaswom Board president. It was claimed that the repairs were done as an offering by his son. The Devaswom Board had stated that the works were carried out at the sannidhanam (temple premises).

The repair of the Yoga danda and Japa Mala took place shortly before the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) sculptures were taken out in 2019 for gold plating. The repairs were carried out during the Vishu festival in April, while the dwarapalaka panels were taken away in July.

As per a Devaswom Board decision dated March 16, 2019, the Yoga danda was taken out to wrap it with gold. The Yoga danda and the rudraksha mala are items kept exclusively inside the sanctum sanctorum. The Yoga danda was originally offered by the Pandalam Palace at the time of the temple’s consecration. The Board decision states that a person named Jayashankar Padman was entrusted with carrying out the repair works.

Although it is claimed that the works were done at the sannidhanam, the SIT has taken serious note of the fact that old records do not clearly specify the location. Though it was claimed that High Court permission was obtained, details such as the order number are not specified.

A mahazar (official record) of the works was prepared on April 14. The document has the signatures of Murari Babu, then Administrative Officer (now in jail), Executive Officer D Sudheesh Kumar and Thiruvabharanam Commissioner KS Baiju.

According to sources, the statement given by one of these officials prompted the SIT to examine the Yoga danda issue.

The mahazar notes that the gold rings on the Yoga danda were weighed and fixed at 19.2 grams, and that later 44.54 grams of gold were used to make 18 rings and a gold cap at the base. It also states that the rudraksha malas were washed and cleaned using tamarind.

Temple sculptor Thattavila Mahesh Panicker, who belongs to a family of traditional temple artisans, said that the original Yoga danda was made of ebony (karungali) wood, and that it was replaced with a bamboo wrapped with gold.