No Free Darshan at Padmanabha Temple

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  It may be hard to believe; but, you need to. The officials of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, where a treasure estimated to be worth more than ` 50,000 crore has been unearthed, still continue to exploit devotees. Any devotee who reaches the temple without precautions will have to shed `70 to `100 for managing an entry into the premises of Lord Padmanabha. The long-pending demand for rationalising the amounts collected under various heads from devotees who visit the temple will gather momentum with the new revelation on the wealth of the temple. There are not many places in Kerala where one has to pay a price to take a dip in a pond. But, if you wish to take a dip in the Padmatheertham pond, you have to pay `5.