When the women entry controversy at Sabarimala hill shrine, which attracts millions of devotees from all religions and castes, especially from November to January every year, reigned in 2017, it started a constitutional morality versus religious morality debate among believers.

At the end, religious traditionalism won. But now a trail of theft and betrayal behind temple doors at the hill shrine has sparked a fresh debate. As the hands entrusted to guard rob, it is devotion that bleeds and religious righteousness that is questioned. Amid this, the biggest loser isn’t the institution or the government, but the people.

Thefts and alleged misappropriation of valuables at places of worship are not uncommon in Kerala, affecting temples, churches and mosques equally; but the problem here is the holy keepers have allegedly turned unholy.

One of the biggest temple management scandals in Kerala’s history came to light just before the beginning of Mandala season. Around 30.3kg of gold donated by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998 (now wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering) for gold-plating the temple’s sanctum sanctorum and wooden carvings is missing. When the case reached the high court, it was revealed that the weight of gold-plated coverings had reduced significantly, raising suspicions of theft and corruption within Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Initial investigation showed lapses by nine officials, including deputy Devaswom commissioner B Murari Babu. Police arrested key accused Unnikrishnan Potti on Thursday night after 11 hrs of interrogation.

Now the ‘gold theft’ has become a test of accountability, faith and political, economic and social integrity. “Sabarimala temple has a rich history. This incident has hurt the minds of believers. Hindu population has castes and sub-castes but temples, which are their main places of worship, hold them together. With such incidents, it is the community‘s faith that is shattered,” said tribal and religious historian PK Sajeev.

Therefore, this ‘gold theft’ at Sabarimala must be treated with utmost seriousness, said vice-chairman of Mata Amritanandamayi Math Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri.

“Crores of devotees within and outside the state as well as those living abroad are distressed. They want to know the truth,” he added.
But this is easier said than done because ‘the real problem is that it is not believers who manage temple affairs through the devaswom board. One who has faith, believes in the purity of temple rituals and follows traditions will stay away from such acts. But those who manage the temple now will not allow the faithful to be a part of the team because they fear dissent,” said Subin V Anirudhan, a researcher on religious traditions.

However, one thing is certain now – no one (believer or atheist) can ignore the ethical and moral implications of religious appropriation, when messengers of God or custodians of faith adopt practices without committing to religious doctrines, ethical values, systems of authority or institutions in ways that exacerbate existing systems of structural injustice. The sense of betrayal then becomes acute, eroding the collective faith in institutional religion.

“This ought to generate profound moral and emotional disquiet among believers. Religious institutions are perceived as sites of sanctity, moral order and divine presence. Hence, their desecration constitutes not merely a criminal act but a symbolic rupture of the sacred trust. The transgression destabilizes moral authority of religious intermediaries and consequently, believers may experience what sociologists term anomie, a condition of moral confusion, leading either to a retraction into individualized spirituality, neglecting the mediating institution or conversely to scepticism and alienation from organized religion,” said sociologist Antony Palackal.

Psychologists and researchers, who explore religious practices, said the reaction to the present situation largely depends on the type of believer one is. “The first are those who believe in divine power and say that the divine power doesn’t need the gifts that came through the wrong means. Then there are others that such things are bound to happen in Kaliyuga but God is not only exposing them, but punishing the wrongdoers in his own way,” said founding editor of Religion World Bhavya Srivastava. Then there is the third type, who may lose their faith due to an instant reaction but on rethinking will feel that God is omnipresent and cosmic law will catch up sooner or later.

Just like a believer’s tolerance varies across situations, so do their spiritual practices and the way in which they reinforce their sense of connection.

While some try to strengthen the same via prayers and meditation, many try to achieve it with the help of custodians of faith through religious practices, donations (money, gold or food).

“These are not symbolic gestures; they are actions rooted in deep rational and spiritual understanding. Through such practices, individuals reinforce their connection, reaffirm their faith, cultivate humility and express gratitude. Not everyone will have this spirit. For some, donations may arise from social or political motives or even from a need to relieve guilt or emotional discomfort. Others may be drawn to the secondary benefits that come from public recognition of generosity. Yet, such motivations have little to do with spirituality,” said Shikha Malviya, a researcher who explores the use of spiritual/ religious practices as mental health interventions.

“There are Hindu leaders who have been asking people not to put money in hundis. This may result in reduction of income, but it will be minimal,” said regional head of Chinmaya Mission Swami Viviktananda Saraswati. Further explaining the concept of drishta phalam (visible result) and adrishta phalam (future result), he said that finally the perpetrators will have to pay for their wrongdoings though it is not visible immediately. Inviolable cosmic laws tell us that Karma ultimately catches up with you, he said.

But believers cannot completely wipe off their hands of the corruption within religious institutions as it mirrors the ethical climate of larger society. After all, when societal norms permit unethical practices, religious spaces too become susceptible to such distortions. “The commodification of faith, politicization of religious administration and competition for ritual and economic authority together facilitate a moral slippage within the sacred domain. Thus, temple corruption may be understood as a manifestation and reinforcement of systemic moral decay, reflecting the complex entanglement between the sacred and the profane in contemporary social life,” said Palackal.

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