Why in the News?
The Supreme Court Bench of Justices U.U. Lalit and Indu Malhotra, on July 13, 2020 held that the erstwhile Travancore royal family is the “human ministrant” or the shebait (manager) of the properties belonging to Sree Padmanabha, chief deity of the famed and fabulously rich Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala.
Administrative committee: It directed the setting up of an administrative committee, with the Thiruvananthapuram district judge as its chairperson.
With this judgement, dispute of over a decade on whether the temple and its considerable assets should devolve to the Kerala government following the death of Travancore ruler Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma in July 1991 has ended.
26th Constitutional Amendment: The amendment has put an end to privy purses enjoyed by erstwhile rulers. The Supreme Court held that the death of a ruler does not affect the royal family’s shebaitship of the temple.
Shebait: Shebait is a person who serves a Hindu deity and manages the temple.
Background
Since independence, the Padmanabhaswamy temple had been controlled by a trust run by the royal family right until 1991, when the last ruler of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, passed away.
In 2011, the Kerala High Court ruled that the royal family cannot continue to exert its shebait rights.
About Shree Padmanabhaswamy temple
The Shree Padmanabhaswamy temple is dedicated to Lord Padmanabhaya, an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
The Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple dates back to 8th century CE, say historians.
It is built in the Chera style of architecture.
(Source: The Hindu)
