Mystery of Gudivada temple’s ‘missing’ golden crown ends in ‘mistake’ drama

Vijayawada: The ‘mystery’ over the missing golden crown of Lord Venkateswara Swamy at Arya Vysya Kalyana Mandapam in Gudivada has ended in high drama, exposing an embarrassing secret that left devotees stunned and temple association members red-faced.The controversy erupted after reports surfaced that the sacred golden diamond-studded crown used to adorn the deity had gone missing. The news triggered outrage among devotees, forcing the Gudivada police to register a case on Thursday. With public pressure mounting, the endowments department also stepped in to probe the matter.However, in a dramatic turn of events, the 'missing crown' suddenly resurfaced within a day. On Friday night, as members of Arya Vysya Kalyana Mandapam Association hurriedly displayed the ‘recovered’ crown, some of them offered conflicting explanations.State Arya Vysya Corporation director Gokavarapu Sunil tried to dismiss the controversy, claiming there was “no truth” in reports that the crown had disappeared. He also maintained that the temple association had been informed in advance about the endowments department inquiry, though he had no answer to questions on why committee members were unavailable during the investigation and why no one informed devotees.The twist came when temple association president Mohan Rao admitted that the crown was pawned to raise funds for the development of Kalyana Mandapam (convention hall). Insisting that it was not pledged for personal benefit, he called the entire episode “a mistake” committed by association members.According to sources, the pawnbroker — reportedly from Rajasthan — arrived in Gudivada on Friday and contacted the temple committee regarding the pledged ornament. Alarmed by the controversy, Arya Vysya community leaders quickly mobilised funds and repaid nearly Rs 38 lakh along with accumulated interest to secure the release of the crown, which once again adorned the deity following Saturday’s Samprokshan ritual, bringing a dramatic close to the controversy.