By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram


Police commandos patrol the premises of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday
The final inventory and digital imaging of priceless treasures concealed in secret vaults in a Kerala temple resumed here yesterday using advanced technology with the help of Indian Space Research Agencies (ISRO) and other agencies.
An expert panel last year stopped efforts to open the last vault of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, saying they needed expertise.
The Supreme Court then appointed a new panel to start the entire process anew, recording minute details of the precious metals and stones kept there using advanced system of Digital Archiving of Temple Antiques and Artifacts (DATA), and another to oversee the process.
Last week, the panel headed by M Velayudhan Nair of the National Museum Institute conducted a trial which he said was found to be foolproof. Security has been tightened in and around the temple, which is now one of the richest in the world.
“We are satisfied with the arrangements and we are starting our work today itself. We will start with vaults E and F and appraise the court of the findings,” Nair told reporters before entering the temple.
Vault B is yet to be opened while Vault C was sealed by a lower court recently. Nair said the panel would this week move the Supreme Court, which has taken over the entire process, to get it opened.
“We have not been mandated to do any valuations. It has to be decided by the court,” said Nair. “We have to conduct a review after examining every 100 artifacts and each artifact will require 15 to 20 minutes. We cannot say how long it will take to complete the entire process.”
Experts like epigraphists, gemologists and numismatists from a panel approved by he court are also in the team. Three experts will enter the vaults at a time and 13 cameras installed inside the vaults and the place set up for the counting are watching every movement of the members.
“The artifacts will be ritualistically taken out and ritualistically given back. There’ll be frequent reviews but we are not entitled to reveal any details to the media at this point of time,” said Justice M N Krishnan who heads the panel appointed by the court to oversee the proceedings.
The contents of five vaults, believed to be worth Rs900bn and still counting, were itemised by the earlier panel before stopping at the Vault B. Custodians of the temple, the descendants of the Travancore royal family, conducted a ritual to learn the mind of the presiding deity and to ward off divine wrath before the sixth vault was opened.

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