Episode 49: Myths and Realities of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The Supreme Court of India recently upheld the rights of the Travancore royal family in the management of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, overturning an earlier verdict of the Kerala High Court. The latter had directed the state government to set up a trust that would take control of the administration and assets of the temple as the present king could not automatically step into the shoes of the last ruler and claim management rights over it. This has led to legal, religious and political debates, including demands for liberating other temples in southern India. Mr Vinod Rai, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow at ISAS joins us in this episode to share his insights on the various implications of this judgment and also the myths surrounding the treasure in the Vault B of the temple.