The hill shrine of Sabarimala is not just a temple. It is a living symbol of devotion, discipline, and Sanatana Dharma. The temple is visited by millions of devotees every year. But today, that faith stands shaken.
The dazzling gold plates that once adorned the Dwarapalakas have become the center of a scandal that reeks of theft, betrayal, and political cover-ups.
What happened to the 42.8 kilograms of gold that were left in the temple in 2019? Why did only 38.2 kilograms return? And why is the silence of Kerala’s rulers louder than the temple bells? As the Kerala HC orders vigilance probe into the missing gold, the devotees awaken to the blatant corruption under LDF government.
Sabrimala Gold Trail That Vanished into Thin Air
In 2019, the Dwarapalaka idols’ gold plating was removed for “replating.” The Devaswom Manual dictates that the Sabrimala Gold shall never leave the temple. However, instead of being restored inside the temple premises, the plates were sent all the way to a factory in Chennai. For 39 mysterious days, they were untraceable with Unnikrishnan Potty acting as the middleman.
When the Dwarpalaka’s idols returned, the weight didn’t match -Four kilos of gold had disappeared.
Questions piled up: Who authorized this breach of temple rules? Why was Unnikrishnan Potty, a Bengaluru businessman with no official role, acting as a middleman? And why did temple authorities keep devotees in the dark for years? The law is clear: no ornament, no gold, no sacred possession can leave Sabarimala without court permission and the Thantri’s sanction. Yet here, not only were the rules broken, but a sacred offering to Lord Ayyappa was also compromised.
Politics, Cover-Ups, and Silence
Opposition leaders are calling it what it is: theft. V D Satheesan, Leader of Opposition, has demanded a full audit of Sabarimala’s inventory. He states that the lost gold is not just a procedural lapse. It is theft of Sabarimala properties, and the entire board must be investigated!
K C Venugopal went further, asking: “Is this misappropriation, or plain gold smuggling?”
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala accused the Travancore Devaswom Board of massive security failures and demanded resignations at the highest levels. The BJP, too, has stepped in. Leaders like V Muraleedharan are openly accusing the ruling Left government of trampling traditions while gold vanishes under their watch. By handing over sacred plates to unauthorized persons, the Left government has insulted crores of devotees worldwide, as per Muraleedharan.
Yet, CM Pinarayi and the LDF remain silent. The Devaswom Minister hides behind technicalities. At the time of the theft, CPI(M) was still in power as the LDF coalition and Pinarayi Vijayan was the Chief Minister. They dismiss criticism as political games — even as the Kerala High Court itself calls for a judicial probe.
Sabrimala Devotees Betrayed, Dharma Undermined
For the lakhs of Ayyappa devotees who trek the hills of Sabrimala every season, this scandal cuts deeper than politics. Offerings made with faith are not ornaments – they are acts of surrender, symbols of divine trust. To see them smuggled, misused, or reduced to political bargaining chips is to see that trust broken.
Videos have surfaced of Devaswom Board officials contradicting each other.
Activists point out that even the gold plating, offered by Vijay Mallya decades ago, was revealed to be reduced to mere copper sheets. If that is true, then how many other offerings have been looted under the noses of temple authorities? The Sabrimala Gold theft is no longer just about missing gold plates or the lost 4.6 kgs from Dwar.
The Hindu Temples suffer from a pattern of systemic betrayal – one that reduces a spiritual institution into a goldmine for corrupt middlemen, corrupt temple boards, and non-believing political patrons.
Free the Temple – A Call for Liberation
From courtrooms to the hilltop, one demand now echoes: free Sabarimala and Hindu Temples from political control.
Activists warn that entrusting the Devaswom Vigilance with this probe is like asking a murderer to investigate his own crime. Devotee groups want the CBI to step in. The silence of Kerala’s LDF government only deepens suspicion. Why are there no answers even after the High Court’s stern words? Why no resignations despite overwhelming evidence?
The Sabarimala Dwarapalaka scandal has exposed more than theft. It has exposed the rot in temple administration. The Boards are unable to ensure the sanctity and security of temple premises and its properties. Moreover, it reveals how a government of atheists turns a blind eye and deaf ear to exploitation of a temple that millions revere as the seat of Dharma. However, for the Hindu devotees, this is not the end.
This is the beginning of a fight – not just for kilograms of missing gold, but for the soul of Sabarimala itself!
