Former CAG debunks mystery behind Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple

After supervising special audit of property of Kerala's famous Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India Vinod Rai has filed a status report in the Supreme Court alleging "incomplete information in its records on the weight and purity of gold and silver items".

Why Supreme Court ordered an audit?

• Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple's trust is facing charges of financial irregularities, corruption, filth and disregard of ethics in the temple's administration.

• The temple, under supervision of present trustees was not in good shape. Hence, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and AK Patnaik had ordered an audit by Vinod Rai.

• The apex court had asked Rai to conduct an initial audit of the temple's records of the past 15 years.

What has Vinod Rai's audit revealed?

• The initial audit found "deficiencies and inadequacies in the maintenance of records" of the temple.

• The report further stated, "The registers of temple assets are also not up-to-date and are being scrutinised. The tendering and auction process needs streamlining. Prime facie, there is lack of financial control of the custody and use of precious articles."

• There is also incomplete information provided in the records for the weight and purity of the gold and silver items.

Mystery behind secret vault

• There were rumours that last of the six secret vaults in the temple was infested with King Cobras and if opened, this Vault B will bring bad omens to the people.

• Many also rumoured that if Vault B is opened, water from the Arabian Sea would flood entire Kerala.

• Rai's report debunked the long standing myth over the mysterious Vault-B that kept everyone at bay.

Vinod Rai debunks the myth

• Dismissing all apprehensions and fear of bad omen, Rai has informed the Supreme Court that Vault-B had been opened at least seven times to his knowledge since 1990.

Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple and it's enormous wealth

• The deity Lord Padmanabha is enshrined in the temple in Anantha-Sayanam posture or the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Anantha.

• The 16th century Lord Padmanabha (Lord Vishnu) temple, which is estimated to be housing Rs 1 lakh crore of wealth, is maintained by the royal family of Travancore.

• The assets comprised in the form of jewellery, idols, weapons, utensils and coins.