Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple’s ‘B Nilavara’ to Remain Unopened Amid Strong Opposition

 Thiruvananthapuram: The sacred ‘B Nilavara’ (B Chamber) of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple — long believed to house invaluable treasures — will remain unopened, as the temple’s five-member administrative committee has not reached a consensus on the matter.

While the State Government’s representative on the committee proposed opening the chamber, the other members, including the temple Tantri, did not support the move. As per the Supreme Court’s directive, any such decision must be jointly taken by both the Advisory Committee and the Administrative Committee.

The temple’s administration is currently overseen by a five-member committee constituted under Supreme Court orders, chaired by Additional District Judge K.P. Anilkumar. The other members include Travancore royal family representative Adityavarma, the Union Government’s representative Karamana Jayan, the State Government’s representative Velappan Nair, and Tantri Tharananalloor Govindan Namboothiri.

Opening the B Nilavara has faced persistent resistance from devotees and the Travancore royal family, who maintain that the sanctity of the chamber must be preserved. Devotee organisations have already voiced strong opposition, warning of intensified protests if any attempt is made to access it.

The debate dates back to 2011, when, following a private petition, the Supreme Court ordered the opening and inventory of all temple vaults. While other chambers were examined, the B Nilavara was left untouched due to the royal family’s objections. The matter was subsequently left to the discretion of the Advisory and Administrative Committees.

Karamana Jayan, the Centre’s representative, confirmed that the proposal to open the chamber is “not under consideration at present.” The royal family and the temple Tantri had earlier conveyed to the Supreme Court their firm opposition to unsealing the vault.