God, gold and political games

No other temple in Kerala evokes as much devotion, discipline and democratic debate as Sabarimala.

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Every year, millions of pilgrims undertake the arduous trek to the shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Pathanamthitta district, transcending caste, class and creed. Yet, the temple has also become a recurring stage for controversy—first over women’ entry, and now, over something as earthly as missing gold. Roughly five kilograms of gold, part of the 30 kilograms donated by fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya in 1998, have vanished from the temple's treasury. The gold had been handed to a Bengaluru-based craftsman for rectification work and duly weighed before dispatch. When returned after more than a month, the items weighed less by about five kilograms. Even more damning, some gold-plated pieces were later found in the house of a relative of the craftsman, casting a long shadow of suspicion.