The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram is one among the many wealthiest shrines on the earth. The riches it retains in its six vaults and their a number of antechambers, are but to be utterly decided.

The historical past and fame of this temple is intertwined in thriller and wealthy antiquity. A number of tales with none exactitude have originated from its large assortment of invaluable treasured stones, gold, silver and a yet-to-be-opened vault. Such is the celebrity of the temple that a number of folks go to this abode of Lord Padmanabha each day.

The temple, thought of to have its roots within the eighth century, is one amongst 108 Vishnu temples in India. The deity right here is within the Ananthashayana posture – or the mendacity place – resting on Adisesha, the serpent god.

A serious fireplace had nearly destroyed the temple in 1686 AD. Marthanda Varma, who grew to become the king of Travancore in 1729 took up its renovation and reconstruction works. The temple’s 5 storeys had been then constructed, and Dharma Raja, who later dominated the princely state, accomplished the sixth and seventh storeys.

Transient historical past

The buildup of the temple’s wealth dates again to the reign of Marthanda Varma, who dominated Travancore as a vassal of Lord Padmanabha. He surrendered the nations (princely states) he had conquered and their wealth on the toes of Lord Padmanabha.

The final king of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, constituted the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Belief in 1965. The erstwhile Travancore royals nonetheless head the belief, the controlling and administrative physique of the temple.

The idol within the resting pose is 18-feet lengthy. The seven-storey monumental japanese tower of the temple constructed in Tamil type, stands tall, trying over the town, and is likely one of the main landmarks of Thiruvananthapuram.

Stone sculptures add grandeur to the tower. It has been recorded that 4,000 sculptors, 6,000 labourers and 100 elephants laboured for six months to finish the single-stone ‘sheevelippura’, or the rectangular hall, which has 365 pillars. Every pillar has been carved out of 1 single rock.

The controversy

The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple bought mired in controversy after a criticism filed on the Munsiff Courtroom in Thiruvananthapuram in 2007, saying a number of articles from the temple have been stolen. The authorized battle went as much as the Supreme Courtroom, which ordered in 2011 to audit and inventorize the temple treasures and possessions.

A number of invaluable gems, gold and silver articles had been from the vaults, which had been remaining closed for greater than one-and-a-half centuries. The temple treasures are stored in six vaults, A, B, C, D, E and F. Of the six, 5 vaults have been opened and examined.

The 5 vaults introduced a glittering assortment of gold cash, golden idols, jewelry, gems, and crowns product of gold. The precise worth and measurement of the treasure haven’t been revealed although it has been thought of to be the world’s largest assortment of gold and treasured stones.

The vaults had been opened with a lot issue. Essentially the most valued treasures had been present in Vault-A. The treasures included a four-feet tall and three-feet large Vishnu idol product of gold, an 18-feet-long garland product of gold cash, and gold cash courting again to Roman and center ages.

The Travancore royals have all the time been opposing the opening of the Vault-B, saying it might be in opposition to customized and can of the gods. The royals approached the Supreme Courtroom in search of a directive in opposition to opening the thriller vault, and the courtroom ordered to not open it till additional order.

Tales galore

The world has no thought of what’s behind the heavy doorways of Vault-B. There have been tales of snakes, bats and super-human powers guarding the vault. The antiquity and anticipation of innumerable treasures gave an aura of thriller to the tales.

It has been mentioned that among the temple officers as soon as tried to open the Vault-B, and had been petrified to listen to the sound of waves breaking on the seaside. They aborted their try and fled, the tales mentioned.

The vaults maintain treasures contributed by the Chera, Pandya, Pallava and Chola kings, moreover the Travancore rulers, moreover these ‘surrendered’ by the vassal kings and their topics. The treasures are nonetheless mendacity in these vaults, arousing the curiosity of the world and giving rise to a number of tales deep-rooted in thriller.