A noble project of national interest that compliments all the indians

Richest Hindu Temple
INDIAN RECORDS

Richest Hindu Temple

Set By : Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple

Thiruvananthapuram, India    2016

In 2016 the Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, India, overtook the Tirupati Temple (also India) to become the world's richest Hindu temple after the chance discovery of secret cellars at the temple uncovered a vast treasure of gold, silver and precious jewels believed to be worth at least INR 320 billion (US$7.04 billion).

It is estimated that the value of the monumental items is close to INR1.2 trillion (US$26.4 billion), making it the richest temple in the world. If the antique value is taken into account, these assets could be worth ten times the current market price.

On 4 July 2016 the seven-member expert team tasked with taking stock of the temple assets decided to postpone opening of the chamber marked 'B'. This chamber is sealed with an iron door with the image of a cobra on it and it has not been opened, due to the belief opening it would result in much misfortune. The royal family said that many legends were attached to the temple and that chamber B has a model of a snake on the main door and opening it could be a bad omen. An Ashtamangala Devaprasnam conducted in the Temple to discern the will of the Lord revealed that any attempts to open the Chamber B would cause Divine displeasure and that the holy articles in the other chambers were defiled in the inventorying process.

The temple is one of 108 Holy Abodes of Vishnu, principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism. The temple, constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil literature canon of the Tamil Alvar saints (6th–9th centuries CE), with structural additions to it made throughout the 16th century CE, when its ornate Gopuram was constructed. The Temple is a replica of the famous Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple at Thiruvattar.

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple gave its name to Kerala’s state capital Thiruvananthapuram. ‘Thiru’ ‘Anantha’ ‘Puram’ means Sacred Abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha.

The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore.