Videograph temple treasure: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the videography and photography of the unearthing of the treasure trove from inside the chambers of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the videography and photography of the unearthing of the treasure trove from inside the chambers of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala.

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A bench headed by Justice RV Raveendran also suggested the appointment of a curator of a museum to preserve the treasure being recovered from the centuries old temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

It asked the ASI officials present in the court to identify a curator from one of its museums in Delhi, Lucknow and Bangalore. The court also barred the observer, supervising the unearthing of the treasure, from giving any interview. The bench would hear the matter on July 8.

The apex court gave its directions during the hearing of a petition filed by the heir of erstwhile king of Travancore Raja Rama Varma. The petition challenges January 31, 2011, Kerala high court order which directed the state to take over the assets and management of the shrine. The SC on May 2 had stayed the HC's interim order after Rama Varma's elder brother Mathanda Varma moved the court.

While hearing of the petition, the court had directed that "there shall be a detailed inventory of the articles, valuables and ornaments found from the temple's treasure trove."

The two petitioners before the SC were also authorised to be present during the preparation of inventory which was to be made in the presence of Devaswom Department's secretary or representative nominated by it. The court had also asked the Department of Archaeology to be present.