4 kg gold adorned by the Sabarimala temple idols disappears

Kerala High Court orders inquiry

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) – Kerala High Court has ordered inquiry into the alleged irregularities in gold enamel on the temple idols. The Court observed, in the year 2019 when the idols were brought back to the temple after gold enamel, the weight was 4 kg less. The court has ordered the chief of vigilance and security of the temple, who is also Superintendent of Police of Travancore Devaswam Board, to investigate the matter. The Dwarpal devata idols were found with the less gold weight.

⚡ Kerala HC orders probe: 4 kg gold missing from Sabarimala idols after regilding (2019)

🔎 Key facts:
– Idols lost 4.54 kg gold after Chennai work
– Missing gold from Dwarapalaka idols
– Court seeks report in 3 weeks

⚡ HC slams Travancore Devaswom Board:
– No approval before… pic.twitter.com/V5iVblmPUY

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) September 18, 2025

The Court said that 2019 when the gold enamel was removed, the weight of gold was 42.8 kg. However, when the work was given to a party at Chennai, they observed the weight was approximately 4.541 kg less. The Court noted that it is a serious matter if so much weight reduction can be seen clearly, it must be investigated in detail. Check the documents and give report in 3 weeks.

The Court permission was not taken for the refurbishing of the idols

The Court clarified that the idols were installed in 1999 with authorised consent and they had a guarantee of 40 years. Despite that the idols needed refurbishing within 6 years. In the year 2019 when the Travancore Devaswam Board sent the idols which had copper cover with gold enamel for refurbishing, a controversy erupted.  Surprisingly, permission from the Court or the Special Commissioner was not taken for the removal of the idols from the temple.

Editorial Perspective

This is the consequence of government control on temples. Hindus need to unite and make legitimate efforts to free temples from government control.