Thiruvananthapuram: Travancore Devaswom Board
(TDB) has ordered an inquiry into the reports that the new
golden flag mast (dhwajam) erected at the famous Mahadevar
temple at Ettumanur in Kottayam district has been leaning
towards a side due to structural defects, just four months
after it was consecrated.
The vigilance wing of TDB, which administers the major temples
in South Kerala, would probe whether there was any truth in
media reports on the issue, board president M Rajagopalan
Nair said in a press note on Tuesday.
The row over the structural flaw to the temple flag mast
gained prominence with Devaswom Commissioner PV Nalinakshan
Nair submitting a report to the TDB on the matter.
He had pointed out that the 17.66 metre mast, built using
gold weighing 5 kg, is found to be leaning by 20 cm above the
height of 12.37 metres.
While the mast consecration committee of the temple
dismissed the charge, TDB chief engineer Ravikumar, who
inspected the mast as directed by the board, confirmed that it
was leaning by 20 cm and was likely to lean further in the
coming months.
The High Court had designated an Advocate Commissioner
for overseeing the replacement of the old mast and erection
and consecration of the new one, increasing the height of the
pole by five feet. The advocate`s apprehensions about the
likely problems of increasing the height of the pole were
ignored by the temple committee, Nair`s report says.
The report further said there was `lack of transparency`
in the collection and spending of funds from sponsors for
building the flag mast.
At the same time, the mast consecration committee convenor
KN Sreekumar termed the Commissioner`s report as `fake and
said it was the result of a conspiracy.` "The old mast was
replaced as per the wishes of devotees and the order of the
High Court," he said.
PTI
