Padmanabhaswamy temple case: Historical judgment on Hindu Temple

After years of Court battles, the Travancore Family had regained their rights to the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, and its treasures. On 13th July, 2020 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Travancore Family. The Supreme Court on Monday guaranteed the right of the Travancore royal family to control the assets of deity at Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, reversing the 2011 Kerala High court decision. Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple  is an ancient and famous Hindu temple located in the city of , the capital of the state of Kerala, India. In Malayalam, Thiruvananthapuram means "the city of Lord Ananta". In Hinduism Lord Ananta, often documented as Sesha Naga, is the King of all Nāgas and one of the principal beings of creation. In the Puranas, Shesha has been said to preserve all the celestial bodies of the universe on his invisible hoods. Ananta has been named after her infinite numbers of hoods and coils.According to the ancient Hindu texts, the secret of the illusions of time is hidden in the character of this serpent king. It is said that when Ananta Naga uncoils, time moves forward and creation takes place; when he coils back, the universe ceases to exist. But the name of the city Thiruvananthapuram refers to the deity of the Padmanabhaswamy temple, who is Maha Vishnu who is enshrined in the "Anantha Shayana" posture, the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Adi Shesha. 

Image by harikrishnanndd from Pixabay 

The case story

The Travancore Family has been taking care of the temple for 1000 years. This temple built in the 6th Century, dedicated to Lord Vishnu as Lord Padmanabha, this family had been faithful devotees. In the 18th Century the temple was rebuilt as how it is now, by this Royal family. Until 1947 when their princely state was added. Since the death of Ruler Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, in 1991, there has been a question whether his younger brother Utradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma, could claim to be the next Ruler, and therefore in charge of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple management and control of the riches of the temple, also considered the richest temple in the world. 

This temple had been under the Princely States of Travancore and Cochin, were under control of the Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards before 1947. but by the Instrument of Accession signed in 1949, between the princely states and the Government of India. The administration of this Padmanabhaswamy Temple was “vested in trust” in the Ruler of Travancore, later in 1956, Kerala was excluded, the Travancore family continued on, until 1971, when the entitlement privileges were terminated. After the dead of the last ruler, and his younger brother continued, claiming the riches of the temple belonged to his family. Many devotees filed a suit documents with the Kerala High Court about the claims of entitlement of Utradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma, as the head of the management of the temple. During all these long years there had been different appointees, by the government for the control and management of such riches, and the temple. The vaults were going to be opened in 2007. 

Temple property ownership

Although at the passing of the last ruler, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, had not mentioned anything about the family being the owners, or mentioning the riches of the temple in his state. Another consequence of who has administrative authority over the temple is that the temple vaults are to be opened. Marthanda Varma claimed, in 2007, that the temple treasures belonged to the royal family. Several suits were brought against this claim and the lower court in Kerala issued an injunction against the opening of the vaults.

Ruling against the royal family, the High Court of Kerala issued an order in 2011 that the board be formed to manage the activities of the temple. The royal family immediately filed an appeal against this judgment, as a result the apex court had stayed the verdict of Kerala High Court. Two amicus curiae had been appointed to prepare an inventory of items in the vault by SC.

While five of the six vaults had been opened, skipping the mysterious Vault B, were to be opened to be cataloged and make detailed inventory of every item, in the vaults of the temple.  The estimate of inventories had given rise to expectations that the valuation of the temple's treasures was about Rs 1 lakh crore, (except the historical value) even without the opening of vault B.

Why the Vault B is not open yet?

The treasure include gold, silver, diamonds, and many other precious jewels. The mysterious Vault B remains sealed, because the family and others say there could be curse, that will fall upon the nation whoever opens this vault. Another legend says if this vault is opened, the sea will flood the city, causing innumerable loss of life and damage. Putting an end at all the law suits, was done last Monday, when the supreme court ruled in favor the Travancore family to be the caretakers and managers, of this beautiful temple for perpetuity.

Watch the entire story in Hindi