P.S. Prasanth, president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), hinted on Saturday, October 4, 2025, that the board may have made a mistake in 2019 by assigning the repair of Sabarimala temple panels to Unnikrishnan Potty. Potty, a former temple helper, is now at the heart of a controversy surrounding the alleged disappearance of valuable religious artefacts from the revered Ayyappa temple.
Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Prasanth revealed that the Chennai-based company, which the TDB had hired in 2019 to restore the gold-plated copper overlays covering ancient stone carvings and sculptures at the temple, had issued a 40-year warranty in Mr. Potty’s name.
“Instead of the TDB, the warranty for the 2019 maintenance contract named the supposed sponsor, Mr. Potty, as the original purchaser,” he explained.
Prasanth further stated that the TDB was compelled to seek Mr. Potty’s assistance again in 2025 because the restoration firm had re-issued the warranty in his name for the repair of the copper-gold covering of two stone sculptures guarding the entrance to the Sabarimala temple’s sanctum sanctorum.
“The TDB formally requested his presence at the workshop in Chennai. The 12 gold-copper panels covering the dwarapalaka sculptures were transported to Chennai in a highly secure vehicle, complete with a police escort. The Sabarimala Thiruvabharanam Commissioner accompanied the vehicle,” he added.
(It’s worth noting that the TDB had previously faced criticism for entrusting the panels to Mr. Potty for repair in 2019, at which time he reportedly used a small van for transporting the items.)
Prasanth confirmed that the TDB plans to transfer the warranty from Mr. Potty’s name to the board’s name, pending approval from the High Court.
He also highlighted that the TDB had video-recorded the removal of the gold coverings, with independent government witnesses present, to ensure complete transparency and accountability.
Regarding the Opposition United Democratic Front’s (UDF) claims of 4 kg of gold missing from the sculpture coverings, Mr. Prasanth dismissed these accusations as unfounded. “The 14 panels that form the covering weigh 38 kg in total, but the actual gold content in the alloy is a mere 397 grams. The TDB sent 12 panels for refurbishment, and after restoration in Chennai, the gold weight in these panels has actually increased by 10 grams. The TDB provided this additional gold,” he clarified.
Prasanth acknowledged that the TDB had made a “minor oversight” by not informing the High Court-appointed Sabarimala Special Commissioner in advance about the removal of the plates for overhaul. “However, the High Court has excused this omission and has granted permission for the TDB to reinstall the covering with the Chief Priest’s sanction on October 27. The restored coverings are currently safely stored in the temple’s strongroom,” he concluded.