Simhachalam Devasthanam plans museum to display Lord’s jewellery

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Simhachalam Devasthanam authorities have decided to set up a museum where the ancient jewellery of Lord Varahalakshmi Narasimhaswamy donated by the then Kings will be displayed. The temple officials are making arrangements to set up the museum at the newly built Ramanuja Kootam building. Since long, the devotees have been requesting the devasthanam authorities to set up a facility so that they can see the ancient temple jewellery of the Lord.

The temple authorities displayed the jewellery in 2010 for a few days amid tight security but kept them in the safe vaults district treasury again. Recently, they discussed the issue with the hereditary chief trustee of the devasthanam and Union Minister for Civil Aviation minister, P Ashok Gajapathi Raju who agreed to the proposal of setting up a museum on the temple premises. The minister also suggested temple executive officer (EO) K Ramachandra Mohan to study the security system in place at the National Museum in New Delhi so that the same could be replicated here. 

The executive officer went to the National Museum and inquired about the security system and other arrangements. Returning from Delhi, the EO conducted a meeting with the staff concerned on Friday and discussed the arrangements needed for the museum. Nearly 30 years ago, there was a big theft at the devasthanam by the infamous Stuartpuram Gang who decamped with many valuables which were later recovered by the police. 

The temple has many priceless diamond, gold, silver ornaments and brass articles donated by the Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya and others. All the jewellery are kept in the safe vaults of the district treasury at present. “We have visited the National Museum in Delhi and studied the security system in place there. We want to set up a separate museum for the temple jewellery here,” said temple EO Ramachandra Mohan.