The Trillion Dollar Treasure of Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The famed Padmanabhaswamy temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the creator of the universe, in Thiruvananthapuram, in the state of Kerala, has fascinated India for many years. In centuries past, kings and dynasties had donated gold and jewels to the temple, sometimes weighing crown princes approaching adulthood and donating an equivalent weight in gold. It was rumored that these treasures are still hidden inside secret vaults beneath the ancient temple. Nobody knows how old the temple really is. Some scholars say it was established over 5,000 years ago. Even as early as 2,500 years ago, Padmanabhaswamy temple was known for its unimaginable wealth. The temple is mentioned in several Hindu texts belonging to the period between 500 BC to 300 AD, wherein it was referred to as the "Golden Temple". Ancient Tamil literature and poetry refer to the temple and even the city as having walls of pure gold. Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the richest temple in the world. Photo credit: Luke Appleby/Flickr The treasures were accumulated over several thousands of years, having been donated to the Deity by various Indian dynasties, as well as from the rulers and traders of Mesopotamia, Jerusalem, Greece, Rome and beyond. Also, at times of invasion many smaller temples in the then Kerala and extreme Southern region transferred and stored their wealth for safekeeping in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. For a long time, the temple and its assets were controlled by a trust, headed by the Travancore Royal family. But in 2011, the Supreme Court directed the royal family to open the secret chambers of the temple and reveal its hidden wealth. Of the six vaults, five were opened.