For decades, the great temples of Kerala—Sabarimala, Guruvayur, Ettumanoor and dozens more—have drawn millions of devotees who offer gold, silver and money in gratitude and faith. Yet, recent judicial and audit findings reveal alarming lapses in how these offerings are recorded and safeguarded. What began as a question over missing gold at Sabarimala has widened into a deeper debate about the transparency, ethics and competence of the State’s temple-management system.
Sabarimala: The gold-plate controversy
Recently, the Kerala High Court came down heavily on the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) after a report suggested that 4.54 kilograms of gold were unaccounted for when the gold-plated copper sheets covering the dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala were removed in 2019. The court found that the plates had been transported to a Chennai-based firm for re-plating without prior authorisation, and that the TDB had failed to maintain a basic inventory of sacred objects such as flag-masts and pedestals.
A bench headed by Justice Anil K. Narendran ordered the seizure of all related records and appointed retired judge K. T. Sankaran to conduct a comprehensive inventory of Sabarimala’s valuables. Devotee groups, including the Sabarimala Karma Samithi and Hindu Aiyka Vedi, have alleged that some of the replaced sheets were gold-plated copper substitutes, amounting to theft and breach of trust.
The High Court’s observations were scathing: the board’s “serious lapses” in record-keeping, it said, could not be brushed aside as administrative error. The case, still under investigation, has already shaken public confidence in one of India’s most revered shrines.
Guruvayur: Audit red flags
The State Audit Department’s inspection of the Guruvayur Devaswom Board (GDB) revealed a pattern of irregularities—delayed submission of accounts, absence of physical verification of gold and silver ornaments, and missing records of donated vessels. A discrepancy of about ₹27 lakh was found in the sale of gold lockets and chains over three years.
Auditors also noted that a 2,000-kilogram metal vessel donated two decades ago did not appear in any register. The lapse, they said, pointed to “serious weaknesses in internal control and custody of temple assets.” Political parties across the spectrum have now demanded an independent audit by the Comptroller & Auditor General of India.
Ettumanoor and beyond: A pattern emerges
At Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple, a revered shrine near Kottayam, a Rudraksha chain with 81 gold-covered beads adorning the deity was reported missing in 2021. An internal vigilance inquiry confirmed the loss, and another chain found in the strong-room had no entry in the register—indicating poor documentation.
Similar allegations surfaced at other temples under the Malabar Devaswom Board, including Neeleswaram Siva Temple, where antique ornaments were allegedly replaced with newly minted ones. Community leaders and devotee organisations have raised concerns that these incidents point to a systemic culture of negligence and political interference, rather than isolated mistakes.
In several other temples too, alarming allegations of corruption, misappropriation of gold and cash, and large-scale financial malpractice are surfacing from different parts of the state
The governance problem
Kerala’s major temples are administered by five Devaswom Boards—Travancore, Cochin, Guruvayur, Malabar and Koodalmanikyam—created under state law. Their boards of trustees and administrators are appointed by the Government of Kerala. While this model was intended to protect temples after Independence, critics argue that it has allowed political patronage and bureaucratic control to overshadow spiritual responsibility.
Former officials acknowledge that many boards are under-staffed and dependent on outdated paper registers. Annual physical verification of gold and silver articles is seldom done, and even where done, reports are rarely made public. The result is a gap between devotees’ expectations and institutional performance—a gap that grows wider with every new controversy.
Voices calling for reform
Temple activists, Hindu organisations and civil-society groups have called for transparent governance structures that give a greater role to devotees and independent professionals. They argue that the state’s role should be confined to regulation and oversight, not daily administration or financial control.
Legal experts point out that the Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasised that while temples are public institutions, their management must respect both faith and accountability. The Kerala High Court’s ongoing supervision in the Sabarimala matter, they say, could become a model for independent auditing of temple assets across the State.
What can be done
The lessons emerging from these investigations are clear:
1. Comprehensive audit of all temple valuables by independent authorities, not by internal boards alone.
2. Digital inventory systems with periodic physical verification of ornaments and vessels.
3. Public disclosure of donations and expenditure to rebuild devotees’ trust.
4. Professional management, with devotees, accountants and heritage experts in decision-making roles.
5. Clear separation of religious and political functions to prevent conflicts of interest.
A call for transparency and autonomy
Kerala’s temples are not merely centres of worship; they are living symbols of the State’s cultural heritage. The recurring controversies—from missing gold to unverified assets—underscore the urgent need to insulate these institutions from partisan politics and bureaucratic complacency.
Restoring accountability does not mean hostility toward the state, but rather a partnership in which governance is transparent and faith is protected. Only when temple administration becomes autonomous, transparent and answerable to the devotees can trust be fully restored—and the offerings made in devotion truly honour the deities they are meant for.
The unfolding revelations from Kerala’s major temples — Sabarimala, Guruvayur, Ettumanoor, and many others — reveal a deeply troubling pattern of political interference and financial irregularities within the Devaswom Boards. The repeated censures by the Kerala High Court against the TDB, along with ongoing investigations into missing gold and misappropriated temple funds, have laid bare a system that has strayed far from its sacred and spiritual purpose.
Over the decades, politicians who have ruled Kerala — particularly the communist non-believers who openly ridicule faith and tradition — have shown little genuine interest in the proper management of temples. Their concern has not been to preserve the sanctity or welfare of these sacred institutions, but to exploit them as sources of power, patronage, and easy wealth. For them, temple boards have become convenient channels for political appointments and opportunities for looting offerings made by sincere devotees.
Across the state, devotees are increasingly questioning why Hindu temples — unlike churches and mosques — continue to remain under direct political control. A widespread feeling is emerging that temple wealth, offered with devotion and faith, has been reduced to a convenient source of misuse and political enrichment. As a result, demands are growing stronger for independent audits, transparent administration, and a comprehensive restructuring of the Devaswom Boards so that temple affairs may once again be managed by true believers, not political appointees.
Breaking Barriers with Faith
In a moment of deep symbolism and devotion, President Droupadi Murmu on October, 22 offered prayers at the famed Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, becoming the first woman President of India to visit the hill shrine revered by millions of devotees across the world.
Arriving as part of her four-day visit to Kerala, President Murmu’s pilgrimage to the Sabarimala temple was marked by a blend of religious piety, her quiet devotion and the symbolic significance of the occasion.
Beginning her journey early in the morning from Nilackal, reaching Pamba — the base camp of the shrine — under tight security, she proceeded towards the sanctum with the traditional ‘irumudikkettu’, the sacred and customory offering bundle carried by devotees.
Climbing the iconic “Pathinettampadi,” the 18 holy steps, President Murmu entered the sanctum sanctorum to offer prayers to Lord Ayyappa. Accompanied by senior officials of the TDB and the state administration, she participated in customary rituals conducted by the temple priests. Sources from the Devaswom Board said that special arrangements were made to ensure adherence to the temple’s traditions while maintaining the highest level of protocol security.
The President’s visit came amid a period of heightened public attention on Sabarimala, following recent controversies over gold plating and temple administration. Her darshan, therefore, carried both devotional and symbolic weight — reinforcing faith in the nation’s ancient traditions while also drawing focus to the shrine’s spiritual significance beyond political debate.
By Pradeep Krishnan
(The content of this article reflects the views of writer and contributor, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)
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