Treasure Hitch

Gemologists assigned to evaluate Kerala’s temple treasure are unable to do the job

A committee appointed by the Supreme Court to document the incredible treasure found inside the Sri Padmanabha Temple in Thiruvananthapuram has run into a rather unusual problem. The government had suggested a three-member panel of gemologists but none of them seems in a position to do any evaluation, and it has nothing to do with competence.

The three were deputed from the Mining and Geology Department. One of them was a woman, which made it taboo for her to enter the temple during her menstrual period. Another gemologist was a non-Hindu, which made it impossible for him to enter the temple, which bars non-Hindus. The third gemologist was ‘eligible’ but turned out to be on deputation with the Kerala Mineral Squad.

“It is not a big issue,” says MV Nair, who heads the Supreme Court appointed committee. “It is not difficult for the department to cancel [the third member’s] present assignment and assign him to the [excercise]. Besides, the woman member has to keep out only for a few days in a month. In fact, there are many qualified gemologists. We are getting applications from people who are interested, but most are not from Kerala. Hiring them would be pretty expensive.”

Nair adds that they are in the process of finding local experts. “We will give special training to local gemologists and the work will start on the 21st of next month as scheduled,” he says.

Advocate Anantha Padmanabhan, nephew of TP Sunder Rajan whose petition led to the vaults that contained the treasure being opened, is not sure. “The committee was appointed by the Supreme Court in May 2011. They had ample time to get qualified gemologists, but they did nothing.” He implies that there is somebody who does not want the inventory to be taken.

Though MV Nair claims that they want to hire only local experts to reduce expenses, sources close to the panel indicate that they are about to submit a report to the Supreme Court seeking the aid of an international agency in calculating the treasure’s financial value.

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Shahina KK