Kerala temple a treasure trove?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A curious treasure hunt has Keralites on tenterhooks ever since the stock taking process in the ancient Shri Padmnabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram began a few days ago as per the Supreme Court's directive.The committee members including two former Kerala High Court Judges have to prepare an inventory list of all the valuables inside six different chambers. Representatives of the government and the royal family trust which runs the temple are also present.Executive Officer at Sri Padmnabhaswamy Temple VK Harikumar said, "Precious materials including rare and valuable gems have been found in these chambers especially in chamber A which is centuries old."Getting inside these chambers was a herculean task and the members had to take the assistance of the fire force and PWD personnel to break open the locks of the stone cellars. Speculation is rife about the actual worth of these precious materials but the authorities have dismissed it.Harikumar also added, "Only after the report is submitted to Supreme Court of India will it become a public document. The Court can then decide to put a value to these precious materials. All the amounts being discussed are now are just the imagination of people."Huge publicity and media attention to the whole process has now increased security concerns in and around the temple.Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said, "Ever since the Supreme Court Directive about stock taking came all of us are anxious. Security system is already in place. But now the Government is serious about strengthening it."The stock taking process is going on at Chamber A after which another such chamber called B will be opened. Both these chambers have not been opened for over 130 years now.Officials told CNN-IBN that none of the committee members who have access to these chambers are allowed to carry cameras or mobile phones with them. The final value of all the precious materials unearthed from this temple will be revealed only after the report is submitted to the Supreme Court of India. - Dakshina Muraleedharan