Probe ordered into paintings on mast

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has authorised a superintendent (Vigilance and Security) to probe into the paintings that appeared on the golden mast at Sabarimala Sannidhanam. On Monday the TDB made a submission in this regard before the Kerala High Court.

The board made the submission while the High Court was considering a report filed by Devaswom Ombudsman Justice R Bhaskaran regarding the paintings. According to the report, mystery shrouds the paintings. “Proper inquiry may be conducted to find out how the painting appeared there without the permission of thanthri Kandaru Maheswaru,” the report said.

 During the Ombudsman’s visit to Sabarimala, Maheswaru had pointed out about certain paintings on the golden mast. The thanthri said that the paintings should be completely removed and the broken ‘dikpalakas’ on the mast should be replaced.

The thantri said that prathishta has to be done without delay, the Ombudsman’s report said.

 “The thanthri also said that repair work has to be done in the sanctum sanctorum. Soil under the peedom of the deity has been displaced by ants and it has to be properly fixed with zinc,” the report said. Thanthri and the melsanthi submitted before the Ombudsman that they had no idea as to who did the paintings on the golden mast.