With the world wowed by the incredible amount of riches found in the secret vaults of the Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, member of Parliament from the city Shashi Tharoor spoke to rediff.com’s Shobha Warrier about the treasure, what should be done with it and the government’s role if any as far as the temple goes.
With the news of riches worth crores being discovered from the cellars of the Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram has become a centre of attraction.
As its MP, what’s your take on the topic which has become a matter of debate?
First of all, I share the joy and excitement of all the people of Thiruvananthapuram on the discovery. This seems to have put us on the world map because journalists from across the globe are coming here. I am getting calls from the New York Times, Time magazine, etc. Even German journalists are coming down to meet the maharaja. There is tremendous excitement in the city. In that sense, it is a matter of pride.
But more importantly, look at the accomplishment of the people who for 300 to 400 years have preserved such a precious heritage without stealing or squandering it. Our country was home to a number of maharajas and nawabs who enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, rather than save resources. Here, in Thiruvananthapuram, we have been blessed — all these assets have been safeguarded for so many centuries, which in itself gives me great satisfaction.
What next, according to you?
My principle is very simple. First, just as it has been safeguarded for so many centuries, it should be preserved for many more centuries to come. It will be presumptuous of our generation to claim that we are entitled to a stake in the treasure more than our ancestors from 300 years ago and more than the coming generation of the next 300 years. As far as I am concerned, we have no special claim to it. It is by mere accident that the riches have come to light.
Secondly, in my view, pending, of course, the Supreme Court decision, the treasure belongs to the temple. It doesn’t belong to anybody else. These offerings, even if by the maharajas, were made to the temple deity and not to the government. So the government has no ipso facto claim on the treasure.
Name of Source: Rediff