Gold-clad panels of Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala to be reinstalled on October 17

The gold-clad copper plates on the Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple will be reinstalled on October 17.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has taken this decision after securing approval from the Kerala High Court as well as the necessary permissions from the Tantri.

Confirming the move, TDB President P.S. Prasanth said the panels would be reinstalled on the evening of October 17, preceded by a ritual performed by the Tantri. The reinstallation ritual will also coincide with the opening of the temple for the monthly pujas for the Malayalam month of Thulam. Under the supervision of the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, the entire process of removing the gold-plated panels was video recorded before they were sent to a Chennai-based facility for restoration work. On completion of repairs, the panels were brought back last week and are currently stored in the strong room of the Sabarimala temple.

Meanwhile, the board has also planned repair works on the gold-plated doors of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum ahead of the upcoming annual pilgrimage season. “These works, for which permission has been obtained from the court and the Tantri, will be carried out at the Sannidhanam itself,” Mr. Prasanth added.