The advocate commissioners have complained against the patriarch of the erstwhile royal family, Marthanda Varma, for not returning the gold and silver utensils that were taken out of the C and D cellars of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple on January 8 this year.
It is under the supervision of the advocate commissioners that articles inside the sealed underground cellars of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple are taken in and out.
In a report submitted to the sub-court here on Monday, the commissioners said that the decision to disregard an order of the court-appointed commissioners, in this respect, was taken in consultation with Marthanda Varma. The missing articles, all gold and silver pooja utensils, were valued at between Rs 70 and 80 crore.
The utensils were taken out from the Vyasarcone Kallara and Nityadi Ara - C and D cellars -- for the conduct of the 'ani kalabham' and 'adi perunthamruthu' rituals in early January. The vessels had to be returned by January 25.
However, on January 24, the executive officer of the temple filed an application before the sub-court here seeking permission to take out more utensils from the cellars for a rectification ceremony, an allied ritual of the 'devaprashnam' held in August, 2011. The advocate commissioners then extended the deadline for return of the utensils to February 4.
But, on February 4, the executive officer failed to turn up and the articles were not returned. “No responsible officer was present to respect and obey the order of the court,” the commission's report said.
“Some of the temple staff and the former muthalpidi named Reghu Prasad, who were present, said that the temple authorities had taken a decision in consultation with Marthanda Varma of the royal palace to surrender the pooja utensils before the advocate commissioners only after the conclusion of the parihara poojas." The parihara pooja began on Feb. 5.
