Kerala HC expresses concern on ‘missing details’ of gold used for cladding Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple

Referring to discrepancies between official records from 2009 and handover documents of 2019, the Kerala High Court has raised concern about the ‘missing details’ of the gold that was used for cladding the Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala temple.

Aimed at getting clarity on the issue, a Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar had directed the Superintendent of Police to produce before the court all records regarding the gold. It also sought documents showing the quantity of gold used in 1999 for cladding the Dwarapalakas, the details of the sponsor and the artisan involved, the quantity used for the 2019 plating, the gold required for the ongoing restoration process, and the manner of recovery and reuse of the gold. Records regarding the second set of Dwarapalakas reportedly retained in the strong room, too were sought.

The direction came when the court was considering a suo motu case initiated on a report of the Sabarimala Special Commissioner regarding the detachment of gold plates (to Chennai) without the court’s prior permission.

Records reveal that the copper plates covering the Dwarapalakas were gold-cladded with the sanction of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in 1999. A general mahazar dated July 19, 2019, says that a sponsor, Unnikrishnan Potty of Bengaluru, had approached the Board seeking permission to carry out gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols flanking the Sreekovil.

Twelve copper plates weighing 25.400 kg that covered the Dwarapalakas were removed and entrusted to the sponsor for gold plating. The mahazar has the signature of Mr. Potty, but refers only to “copper plates” and makes no mention of existing gold cladding. This is unusual and calls for a detailed inquiry, the court observed.

On September 12, 2025, the court directed the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer to ascertain whether another set of gold-plated Dwarapalakas were stored in the strong room. Communication in 2024 suggested that Mr. Potty was aware of a second gold-coated set. However, the officer reported that no such set was found during preliminary verification. Further inquiry is required concerning the same, the court said.

The court further asked that if the Dwarapalakas were gold-cladded using traditional methods in 1999, what persuaded the TDB to permit Mr. Potty to subject them to gold plating again, by taking them to Chennai and without seeking the court’s permission, requires investigation. If the copper plates were indeed cladded with gold, records must exist documenting the same, including the exact quantity of gold used, since traditional methods were followed.

Traditional gold cladding involves preparing a base for gold leafing or sheathing, where artisans hammer extremely thin sheets of nearly pure gold (22–24k) and wrap them over copper surfaces. Sheets are burnished and cold-welded to create the appearance of a solid gold surface. The quantity of gold required is substantial, and the thickness provides durability against Kerala’s monsoon, salinity, and ritual abrasion. In contrast, Smart Creations, Chennai, applies Nano Tech Golden Deposition (NTGD), which deposits only an ultra-thin layer of gold, it observed.