The value of the treasure found in the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple here surged to around `75,000 crores on Saturday with the expert panel completing the inventory of articles found from “secret cellar A”.
A resplendent gem-studded idol of Lord Mahavishnu, an 18-feet “thanka anki” (golden dress) which weighs over 35 kg, a large stock of traditional ornaments, including “kasumala”, “adukkumala” and “rasi” rings, were found in the cellar, apart from a collection of gold coins.
Golden statuettes (aal roopangal) and rare stones were also retrieved on the sixth day of examination by the panel led by two Supreme Court observers M.N. Krishnan and C.S. Rajan.
Curious onlookers thronged the roads surrounding the temple where tight security has been imposed by the police.
The panel is expected to examine the “secret cellar B” on Monday and also “cellar F” where ornaments and articles used for daily rituals in the temple are kept.
“I think the real value of the articles would exceed the figure being touted now when their antique value is also taken into consideration,” said Mr Malayankeezhu Gopalakrishnan, an expert on Travancore history. “Even a low denomination gold coin of the Dutch era will be priced over `50,000.”
Meanwhile, Devaswom minister V.S. Sivakaumar said that the state government would inform the Supreme Court on the discovery of the mammoth treasure in the temple.
“We have to protect this wealth and we will take decisions on the basis of the directives of the Supreme Court,” he said.