Apex Court to examine opening of Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple vault

As the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee Thursday sought the court’s direction on opening of a vault of Kerala's Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, the apex court said it would examine the request.

The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice A.K. Patnaik, while posting the matter for hearing on April 18, asked the Expert Committee to supply copies of its fourth report to other parties in the case.

The court said that it would pass the necessary orders on the plea by the Expert Committee only after going through the report. The committee in its report has said that the task of putting in place the security of the vaults would only be taken up after it knew the content of the treasure in Kalara B.

The committee has suggested a security ring for the temple vaults at par with that available for the strong rooms of Reserve Bank of India.

While the expert committee has sought court’s direction on the opening of the Kalara B, there is a considerable opposition to its opening by the members of the Travancore royal family that controls the temple.

In August last year, Rama Varma - a member of the Travancore royal family - had moved the apex court opposing the opening of Kalara B, contending that most of the devotees are against its opening and it would hurt their sentiments and beliefs.

Headed by Director General of National Museum C.V. Ananda Bose, the expert committee has  Dr. M.V. Nair, the nominee of the Archaeological Survey of Inbdia, Reserve Bank of India and the Executive Office of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple as its members.

The committee was mandated to examine the necessity of opening Kalara B, which continues to be locked. It is generally believed by Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple devotees that the opening of Kallara B would unleash the wrath of Sri Padmanabhaswamy on all those involved in disturbing it.