The Guruvayur Devaswom Board, which manages 12 temples across Kerala, has responded to an audit report that flagged irregularities in temple assets, including missing gold, ivory, and other valuable items.
Audit Report Raises Red Flags
After the controversy over the theft of gold from Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, a similar row has now emerged around Guruvayur Temple. A 2019 audit report — recently made public — revealed discrepancies involving temple assets such as gold and ivory that were allegedly mishandled without following official procedures. The report also cited a financial loss of ₹79 lakh related to deposits in a gold scheme run by a state bank.
According to the audit, items like manchadi (coral wood tree) seeds and saffron flowers offered by devotees were unaccounted for, while around 2,000 kg of donated cookware worth ₹15 lakh was missing from temple records. The report also found that over 530 kg of ivory from the Punnathur elephant fort had not been included in official accounts.
Board’s Clarification And Political Reactions
The Guruvayur Devaswom Board stated that all discrepancies highlighted in the audit had been addressed and that a detailed affidavit had been submitted to the Kerala High Court. A response from the Board Chairman is awaited. The state government has also maintained that the issues raised have since been resolved.
However, the opposition BJP accused the Left government of negligence in managing temple affairs. BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari called the revelations “an insult to Hindu faith” and alleged “intentional mismanagement” by the state authorities.
Sabarimala Case Sparks Wider Probe
The issue comes shortly after the Kerala High Court expressed concern over the Sabarimala temple gold theft, describing it as potentially part of a “larger conspiracy”. The court ordered a court-monitored investigation into the disappearance of gold plating from the temple’s Dwarapalaka idols.
Investigators found that nearly 475 grams of gold remained untraced and that repair work on the idols was done outside the temple premises against established rules. The High Court also noted that the same sponsor involved in the earlier irregularities was again given custody of the idols in 2025 — a move the judges said might have been aimed at concealing the earlier theft.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 5, with proceedings to be held in camera.