Black marks found on Sabarimala temple’s gold-plated roof; inspection conducted

SABARIMALA: An inspection was carried out after black patches were noticed on some parts of the gold-plated roof of the Sabarimala temple sanctum. The inspection was conducted in the presence of Devaswom Thiruvabharanam Commissioner Rejilal, following the instructions of Sabarimala Special Commissioner R. Jayakrishnan.

As part of the investigation into the alleged gold theft, a special investigation team had inspected the wooden door panels and the Prabhamandalam plates on the 15th. The roof inspection was conducted after this.

Some devotees at the Sannidhanam reportedly pour ghee used for abhishekam onto the roof. The initial assessment is that dirt and dust mixed with this ghee caused the black marks on the roof. However, cleaning or polishing work cannot be carried out immediately. Any changes or repair work related to the sanctum requires permission from the deity according to temple customs. Since the special investigation team has completed its inspection of the sanctum-related areas, reports suggest that the Devaswom Board may clean the roof after seeking the deity’s permission.