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1 www.gradeup.co Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Treasure Verdict

Why is it in the news?

The Supreme Court has upheld the right of the royal family to manage the property of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in . This reversed the 2011 High Court decision.

What is the case about?

 The Travancore royal family had challenged the Kerala high court ruling that had held that the royal family could not claim to be in control or management of the temple as the successor to the last ruler.  The central legal question before the Supreme Court was whether UtradamThirunalMarthanda Varma, the younger brother of ChithiraThirunal Varma, the last Ruler of Travancore, could claim to be the “Ruler of Travancore” after the death of the ruler in 1991.  The court examined this claim within the limited meaning of that term according to the Travancore- Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950 to claim ownership, control, and management of the ancient Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.

What has the Supreme Court’s Judgement delivered?

1. Management of Financial Affairs

 The Supreme Court restored rights of “Managership or the Shebaitship” of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala to the royal family of Travancore.  According to the court, as per customary law, the shebait rights (right to manage the financial affairs of the deity) survive with the members of the family even after the death of the last ruler.  The ruling ends the legal battle the temple and members of the royal family have fought with the government for decades over control of one of the richest temples in the world.

2. Administrative Management

 The temple administration will be managed by a committee headed by a district judge. The committee will advise the trustee and ensure a regular annual audit of the finances of the temple.

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 The court said all members of both the committees will be Hindus. The family can’t claim the temple property as it made an “unequivocal stand” that “it is a public temple and no claim can probably be made by petitioner over temple treasures”.

3. What is the significance of the Court’s Judgement?

is a secular country that separates religion from the affairs of the state. However, Hindu temples, its assets are governed through statutory laws and boards heavily controlled by state governments.  This system came into being mainly through the development of a legal framework to outlaw untouchability by treating temples as public land. It has resulted in many legal battles. Padmanabhaswamy temple dispute was an example of one such legal battle.

What is the history of the temple and where is it located?

 The temple is located inside the in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. The city of Thiruvananthapuram takes its name from the presiding deity of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, which is also known as Anantha.  The word 'Thiruvananthapuram' literally means - the Land of Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy. The temple dates to the 8th century but the present structure was built in the 18th century by the then Travancore Maharaja .

How is the Temple’s Architecture?

 The temple is built in the unique Chera style of architecture, which is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture.  The temple architecture stands out for its work in stone and bronze. The temple was first made of wood but later constructed with granite that is seen today.  Temple’s corridor extends from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum is a broad corridor which has 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with beautiful carvings.

What is its religious significance?

 It is known to be one of the 108 holy temples associated with in India. The deity at the temple represents the trinity of , , and .  Saligramas are auspicious stones worshipped and venerated as the direct manifestation of Lord Vishnu. The idol is made of Kadasharakara, a composition of herbs, resin, and sand.

What is the Temple’s Treasure Value?

 There are a total of six vaults located below the temple. It is the opening of these vaults to assess the contents that led to the decade-long legal battle.  In 2017, the Supreme Court-appointed a seven-member panel headed by amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium to assess the value of the treasure inside the vaults, including two chambers that had not been opened for over 130 years. Out of the 6 vaults, 5 have been opened with their treasures assessed.  However, the 6th vault is associated with mythical curses and wasn’t opened. The total treasure in all vaults is estimated to be somewhere around 1 trillion USD.

3 www.gradeup.co Key Takeaways

 The Supreme Court has upheld the right of the Travancore royal family to manage the property of deity Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.  According to the court, as per customary law, the shebait rights (right to manage the financial affairs of the deity) survive with the members of the family even after the death of the last ruler.  The family can’t claim the temple property as it made an “unequivocal stand” that “it is a public temple and no claim can probably be made by petitioner over temple treasures”.  The temple administration will be managed by a committee headed by a district judge. The committee will advise the trustee and ensure a regular annual audit of the finances of the temple.  The temple is built in the unique Chera style of architecture, which is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture.

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