Pathanamthitta/Kottayam: The Devaswom Vigilance is reportedly concluding that the gold-plated panels from the Dwarapalaka sculptures at Sabarimala were replaced in 2019. It is being alleged that a commercial deal worth crores was conducted under the guise of religious faith. The Devaswom Vigilance is expected to submit its report to the High Court on Friday. There are indications that a complaint may also be filed by the Devaswom Board with the State Police Chief, alleging that Unnikrishnan Potti was behind the tampering.

Reports suggest that the gold panels were handed over to someone outside Kerala. The relevance of the matter lies not in the market value of the panels or the gold, but in their sanctity and heritage value, as they adorned the walls of the Sabarimala sanctum sanctorum. It is believed that there are individuals who are willing to pay any price to acquire such sacred items for private possession. It is suspected that Unnikrishnan Potti may have transferred the panels in exchange for a substantial sum from such individuals.

There is also an assessment that the gold panels, which had remained inside the sanctum for years, were marketed as sacred items capable of removing ‘Shani Dosha’ (affliction of Saturn) and enhancing prosperity.

According to Thattavila Mahesh Panicker, a member of the artisan family that originally created the idol at Sabarimala, if there had been any need to re-plate the panels with gold, it should have been done within the premises of the Sannidhanam (sanctum area). The fact that they were taken outside clearly indicates smuggling, he asserted.

The Devaswom Vigilance recently conducted an inspection of the gold panels stored in the Sannidhanam locker room, which were scheduled to be reinstalled on the Dwarapalaka sculptures on October 17, after renovations in Chennai. A detailed comparison was made between images of the panels taken before 2019 and the current ones. The findings support the conclusion that the panels had been replaced. It was also observed that the new panels show some dimensional differences from the original ones.

Gold panel trajectory:

  1. July 20, 2019: Fourteen gold-plated panels were dismantled from the Sannidhanam for re-plating purposes.
     
  2. It is reported that these panels were later taken to certain residences in Chennai and then to Hyderabad. They are believed to have been sold there for a hefty amount, capitalising on their religious relevance. While bulk trading is considered unlikely, it is suspected that individual pieces may have been sold separately.
     
  3. There was a 39-day delay between the dismantling of the panels from the Sannidhanam and their arrival at Smart Creations in Chennai for gold plating. The MD and legal advisor of Smart Creations confirmed that what arrived in Chennai was entirely copper, supporting the theory of replacement. Neither Unnikrishnan Potti nor the then Devaswom authorities have provided any explanation for the delay.
     
  4. It is assumed that during the 39-day interval, new panels were made elsewhere. A mould may have been created using the original panels as reference, and new copper panels fabricated and gold-plated accordingly.