SREE PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE

On Monday, 13 July, 2020 the Supreme Court of India will deliver the judgments in the famous Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple case. The case is on a petition challenging the decision of the Kerala High Court verdict on the management of the temple. Various issues regarding the jurisdiction and future administration of the temple will be pronounced by the bench of justices  U.U. Lalit and Indu Malhotra.  During  years the Court tried to take stock of treasures  stored in the temple vaults  and appointed amicus curiae to report and audit the valuables in the temple.

Sree Padmanabha swamy Temple is situated in the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram.  The name of the city derived from the word “The city of Lord Ananta”, referring to the deity of the Temple.  The Temple has references in our great epics and puranas.  In Srimad Bhagavatha, there is a mention that  Balarama visited the temple and made several offerings in the temple.  The Temple is considered as the great monument in glorious Chera style of architecture in harmony with Dravidian architecture featuring high walls and gopuram of temples of Thanjavur. The Temple has seven tier gopuram with elaborate carvings and architecture.

13 JULY 2020

SUPREME COURT VERDICT

The Supreme Court held that the Travancore royal family is the shebait or Manager of the properties belonging to Sree Padmanabha, chief deity of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala. The Court  also held that the death of a ruler does not affect the royal family’s shebaitship of the temple. For the transparent administration, the Court directed the setting up of an administrative committee, with the district judge as its chairperson. The other members of the committee includes a nominee of the royal family, the chief thanthri, a nominee of the State and a member nominated by the Union Ministry of Culture.