What did the audits of the Guruvayur Devaswom reveal?

The audits of the Guruvayur Devaswom, which manages the Sri Krishna temple in Kerala, revealed significant vulnerabilities in the handling of the shrine's valuable assets, including gold, silver, and ivory.

What issues were found with the temple's "double-lock register"?

The audits uncovered shocking discrepancies in the "double-lock register," which tracks the gold and silver articles used for daily rituals, including unexplained weight loss and replacement of valuable items with less valuable ones.

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Audits Expose Mismanagement of Guruvayur Temple's Vast Wealth

Q: How did the Guruvayur Devaswom mishandle elephant tusks and ivory?

The audits found that during 2019, over 500 kg of ivory were either removed or remained in the devaswom's possession without proper documentation or handover to the forest department as required by law.

21 Oct

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Summary

Audits reveal temple's valuables, including gold, silver, and ivory, vulnerable to misuse
Unexplained weight loss and substitution of items in "double-lock register"
Disappearance of 17 sacks of lucky seeds offered by devotees

Audits Expose Mismanagement of Guruvayur Temple's Vast Wealth

In the past few years, audits of the Guruvayur Devaswom, which manages the Sri Krishna temple in Kerala, have exposed significant vulnerabilities in the handling of the shrine's valuable assets. The findings, covering the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years, paint a concerning picture of the temple's management systems.

At the heart of the issue is the mishandling of elephant tusks and ivory at the Guruvayur Devaswom's Punnathur Kotta sanctuary. The audits reveal that during 2019, over 500 kg of ivory were either removed or remained in the devaswom's possession without proper documentation or handover to the forest department as required by law. This raises the possibility that large quantities of ivory may have gone unaccounted for.