Indian court orders curator for Hindu temple treasures

7 July 2011

Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in South India.

(Wikipedia Commons)

A treasure with an estimated value of more than $20 billion that was discovered in the vaults of a Hindu temple last week will have a court-ordered curator.

India's Supreme Court has ordered that a curator oversee the immense trove of diamonds, emeralds, gold and silver coins, and figurines representing centuries of trade and worship.

Armed police are guarding the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, which was the royal chapel for the former rulers of Travancore in Kerala.

Photographs and video of the find have been ordered, and video surveillance will be installed while an inventory is made.

A question of ownership remains as some argue that the riches belong to the people and should be used for the public good while others say the wealth belongs to the temple, which is the property of a private family.

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