Kerala's Padmanabha Swami Temple richest in the country with treasure worth Rs 1 lakh crore; overtakes Tirupati
The story unfolding in the state capital has all the elements of an Amar Chitra Katha - an ancient temple, cellars lying unopened for centuries, a forgotten treasure worth thousands of crores etc.
Mounds of precious gems, lakhs of gold coins, diamond studded crowns, idols in gold, long gold chains, gold rings and bars, gold barrels etc were discovered when the metal doors of the secret cellar were opened.
Several bags of coins from the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family rule, coins from the Napoleonic era and the East India Company period were also discovered from the secret cellars of the temple.
Rough estimate of the value of the treasure so far unearthed is around Rs 1,00,000 crore. The figure is almost double the wealth of the Tirupati temple. The actual valuation could be much more if the antique value of the articles is taken into account and could well be enough to wipe out the country's fiscal deficit.
The value is bound to go up as two more cellars are to be opened by the team of observers.
With the news of the major find spreading, the state has decided to tighten the security around the temple. Two groups of the special armed police have already been deployed by the state government for the protection of the temple complex, headed by an ADGP. The government has decided to beef up security around the area. An inventory assessment of the articles owned by the temple was ordered by the Supreme Court, staying a Kerala High Court order directing the state government to take over the temple from the trust controlled by the erstwhile rulers of Travancore. The Kerala High Court order followed a petition filed by a devotee, who contended that safety of the temple and its assets had not been properly ensured.
The temple witnessed noisy scenes as a group of devotees protested against the inventory assessment. The team was constituted by the Kerala High Court as per the Supreme Court order. The deity of the Padmanabha Swami Temple is the family deity of the Travancore royal family. Members of the erstwhile royal family had dedicated their kingdom to the Padmanabha Swami deity and pledged that they will live as servants of Padmanabha. Experts see the treasure as offerings made by the erstwhile rulers to the temple.
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Kerala: India's poor little rich state
Sachs, of course, wasn't privy to all the wealth that had accumulated over centuries in the secret vaults of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, smack in the middle of Kerala's capital.
The mountain of gold, emerald, rubies, diamonds and other precious stones in the temple's vaults unearthed this week are an extreme contrast to the state government coffers, which are perennially in deficit, which explains why Kerala is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.
While Kerala's erstwhile rulers of the Travancore royal family tucked away treasures that are now roughly estimated to be over Rs 1 trillion, never to touch them even during the most financially-strenuous times, successive chief ministers of the modern era make frequent pilgrimages to Delhi pleading for a few crores of rupees in flood relief money, a rice farmers' package or to tackle a drought.
The treasure trove in a temple's vaults versus an economy that struggles to find funds for the Kochi metro project, for instance, is reflective of the overall Kerala picture. Those vignettes in contrast in Kerala can be seen when you meet a bus conductor with a PhD, listen to a wayside tea shop owner holding forth on where Barack Obama went wrong in handling Iran, or see a Doha-returned NRI trying to maneuver his Merc on the pock-marked and narrow highways of the state.
As the findings in the temple vault are reaching eye-popping proportions, Keralites' legendary skills at opinionating are also to the fore: The Nair Service Society wants the treasures to be kept at the temple itself, justice VR Krishna Iyer says all that money makes no sense if the poor do not benefit from it, and some economists feel that gold can be the most wasteful asset if it isn't ploughed back into the economy, considering that India imports almost all of its gold.
Those opinions mean little, considering that the temple property is likely to retain its status quo. P Mohanan Pillai, professor at the Centre for Development Studies here says the accumulation of wealth in the temple coffers must also be seen in the backdrop of politics and religion being entwined in the past. "Only the palace records can say whether all that was tax money or a combination of temple offerings and public money", says he.
While Travancore's legendary rulers from Marthanda Varma's times dedicated their kingdom to the deity at the Padmanabha temple and stashed their wealth in the temple vaults, present day Kerala benefits from the money order economy, thanks to a few million non-resident Keralites across the world, remitting nearly Rs 20,000 crore each year to a state whose population is just over 3 crore.
That money has mostly been untouched for industry or infrastructure, allegedly because the state does not have enough bankable projects. All the wealth of the Padmanabha Swamy temple is also out of bounds for the economy. In gold's own country, life for the Malayali is likely to continue in a gilded cage, much like Harvey Comics' Richie Rich being a poor little rich kid.
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Temple of boom: Rs 1 lakh crore and counting
With one more "secret" vault yet to be opened, the figure in all likelihood will go up further. But sources said the figures could only be speculation as it wasn't possible to determine the antique value of the precious gems and jewellery. "These are antique pieces and it's not possible to determine their prices," said historian and former director of Indian Council of Historical Research M G S Narayanan. In other words, the worth of the treasure could be intimidatingly higher.
The Supreme Court-appointed committee on Sunday refused to confirm reports about the value of the recoveries, saying that its mandate is limited to making an inventory of the assets.
Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy said the treasure would remain with the temple. "The wealth belonged to the temple and it will be preserved where it was found. There is religious and historical significance to the findings. The state will ensure its security," Chandy told reporters on Sunday.
Chandy said the police would patrol the shrine 24X7 and a control room had already started functioning. "Permanent security arrangements will be put in place only after consultations with the chief priest of the temple and the Travancore king who is the caretaker of the shrine," the CM said.
A source said the seven-member panel was stunned by what it found in the secret vault marked `A' during its inspection on Thursday. There were close to 1,000 kg of gold coins, some of these from the East India Company era and Napolean's period, about one tonne of gold in the form of rice trinkets, sack full of diamonds said to be from Burma and Sri Lanka, a rope made of gold and thousands of pieces of rare 'sarappoli' necklaces.
The stock-taking continued next day as only 30% of the assets could be counted on Thursday. Again there were surprises in the form of a three-and-a-half feet tall idol of Lord Vishnu studded with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, an 18-feet-long ornament used to adorn the deity and weighing 35 kg and 1 feet tall human figurines weighing 1 kg each. There were coins marked 1772 indicating they were from the era of former Travancore ruler Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma better known as `Dharma Raja' for his strict adherence to the rules of 'dharma'.
Entry was strictly forbidden for the media and public to the site. There are six vaults marked A to F in the shrine. The A and B cellars have never been opened after 1872. The panel had set out on the job on June 27 and opened three vaults marked C, D and F till Wednesday.
Padmanabhaswamy Temple
 | Malayalam is written in a non-Latin script. Malayalam text used in this article is transliterated into the Latin script according to the ISO 15919standard. |
| Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple ശ്രീ പദ്മനാഭസ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രം | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates: |  8°28′58″N 76°56′37″ECoordinates: 8°28′58″N 76°56′37″E |
| Name | |
| Proper name: | Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple |
| Location | |
| Country: | India |
| State: | Kerala |
| Location: | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Temple Details | |
| Primary deity - God: | Padmanabhaswamy (Vishnu) |
| Architecture and culture | |
| Architectural styles: | Dravidian architecture (Kovil) |
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple (Malayalam: ശ്രീ പദ്മനാഭസ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രം, śṟī padmaṉābhasvāmi kṣētṟaṁ ?) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, maintained by the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family, and located within the East Fort in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala state,South India. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams (Holy Abodes of Vishnu) -[1] principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism. The temple, constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture is referenced in the early medieval writings of the Alvars (6th-9th centuries CE), with structural additions to it made throughout the medieval period up to the 16th century CE.[2] The temple gave its name to Kerala's state capital Thiruvananthapuram. 'Thiru' 'Anantha' 'Puram' means 'Abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha'.
The principal deity, Padmanabhaswamy is enshrined in the "Ananta-sayanam" posture (in the eternal sleep of Yoga-nidra on the serpent Ananta).[3] Travancore Kings regarded themselves as 'Padmanabha-dasa' (Servant of Lord Padmanabha).
In late June 2011 a review of the temple's underground vaults was undertaken by a seven-member panel appointed by the Supreme Court of India. Estimates suggested that the temple could be the richest in the world; unofficial estimates on the sixth day of the inventory placed the value of contents at close to 
100,000 crore (US$22.3 billion).[4][5][6] The riches were offered by the parties that conducted trade with Travancore and the local rulers (most recently the Travancore Maharajahs) as offerings to Lord Padmanabhan; and were sealed within the thick stone walls and vaults of the temple for over a millennium.[7] [2]
The stock-taking process was ordered by the Supreme Court following a petition by advocate T. P. Sundararajan alleging mismanagement of the temple affairs. Previously,Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh was believed to be the richest temple in the country.[8]
Contents[hide] |
[edit]History
In earlier years[when?] Padmanabhaswamy Temple and its properties were controlled by eight powerful Nair feudal lords known as Ettuveetil Pillamar (Lords of the Eight Houses) under the guidance of the Council of Eight and a Half. Later, King Marthanda Varma, the founder of Travancore, successfully suppressed the Ettuveetil Pillais and his cousins. The last major renovation of the Padmanabhaswamy temple was also done byMarthanda Varma. He virtually "dedicated" the kingdom of Travancore to Padmanabha, the deity at the temple, and pledged that he and his descendants would "serve" the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa, meaning "Servant of the Padmanabha".[3]
The insignia of the Padmanabha, Valampiri Shankhu or Dextral Conch-shell, served as the state emblem of Travancore and it can still be seen on the emblem of Kerala state. Padmanabha is still regarded as regional deity of erstwhile Travancore.[citation needed]
The two annual festivals of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple culminate in a grand procession, in which the three deities (Padmanabha, Narasimha and Krishna) are carried on flower-deck and aesthetically decorated Garuda Vahanas to Shankumugham Beach, for "arattu" (sacramental ablution). The arattu days are declared as local public holidays in Thiruvanathapuram. The Idol is made of Kadusarkkara Yogam, an ayurvedic mixture, with Vishnu sleeping on the serpent Anantawith his head pointing towards south, facing east.
[edit]The temple
The history of the temple dates back to the 8th Century. It's said that there are references to this temple in four puranas; namely Brahma, Vayu, Varaha, Padma. 8th century poet Nammalvar created four slokas and one phalasruthi about this temple in his creations.[9]
[edit]Gopuram
The foundation of the present gopuram was laid in 1566.[10] The temple has a 100-foot,[11] seven-tier gopuram. The temple stands by the side of a tank, named Padma Theertham (meaning the lotus spring). The temple has a corridor with 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with elaborate carvings. This corridor extends from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum. An eighty-foot flag-staff stands in front of the main entry from the 'prakaram' (corridor). The ground floor under the gopuram (main entrance in the eastern side) is known as the 'Nataka Sala' where the famous temple art Kathakali was staged in the night during the ten-day uthsavam (festival) conducted twice a year, during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam.
[edit]Garbhagriha
In the Garbhagriha, an deity of Vishnu is depicted in a reclining position over the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha. The serpent has his face pointed upwards, as if enjoying the fragrance emanating from the lotus held in his left hand. His right hand hangs over Shiva. Sridevi andBhudevi, two consorts of Vishnu stand by his side and the Brahma is seen on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of Vishnu. The deity is made up of 12008 Saligram that compose the reclining Vishnu. These Saligram are from the banks of the river Gandaki in Nepal, brought with much ceremony on elephants. On top of the Saligram, "Katusarkara yogam", a special ayurvedic mix, was used to make a plaster. The katu sarkara mould keeps the deity free from pests. The abhishekam of the Lord is not a traditional ritual. The daily worship is with flowers and for the abhishekam special separate deities are used. The flowers have always been removed using peacock feathers fearing damaging the katu sarkara on the deity.[citation needed]
The platform in front of Garbha Griha and where the deity rests are both carved out of a single stone and hence called "Ottakkal Mandapam". In order to perform darshan and puja, one has to climb on to the "Ottakkal Mandapam". The deity is visible through three doors - Face of the Lord and Siva Linga underneath his hand in the first door, Brahma seated on lotus emanating from the Lord's navel along with the "Utsava moorthi" and deities of Lord MahaVishnu, Sreedevi and Bhoodevi in the second door and the Lord's feet in the third door. Only the King of Travancore may perform Namaskaram, or bow prostrate on this "Ottakkal Mandapam". Since the deity of the Lord is also on this "Ottakkal Mandapam", anybody who bows prostrate, or any material object that is kept here, henceforth belongs to the Lord. Here, the King is called a "Padmanabha Dasa", or a "servant" of Vishnu. Adherents believe that it is actually Vishnu who rules the state of Tranvacore.
In the 108 Divya deshams, or holiest shrines of Lord Vishnu, the dieties of the Lord are in one of the three different postures. Either reclining, sitting, or standing. A unique feature of the Padmanabha Swamy temple is that it has dieties in all these three postures. The main deity inside the sanctum sanctorum and viewed from three doors is in the reclining posture, the deity viewed through the central door in the standing posture, and the "Utsava Murthi", the deity taken out for the festival processions is in the sitting posture.
There are other important shrines inside the temple for Hindu deities Sri Narasimha, Sri Krishna, Sri Ayyappa, Sri Ganesha and SriHanuman. Many other small shrines like Kshetrapalan (who guards the temple), Vishwaksena and Sri Garuda are also present.
A unique feature that came to light recently is the fact that Lord Padmanabha's deity is entirely cast in gold except for the face and chest. Katu sarkara yogam was used to ward off invasion of the temple by Muslim invaders. The crown of the Lord sporting kundalams in the ears, the huge salagrama mala adorning the chest and the finely chiseled poonal are in gold. The various ornaments covering the chest and the right hand sporting a huge kankanam shielding Lord Siva, the left hand holding a Kamalam are in gold. The stalk of the kamalam rising out of the nabhi is also in splendid gold. The entire length of the Lord's legs is again cast in gold.
The katu sarkara yogam was obviously an ingeniously conceived plan to avoid the prying eyes of the invaders who attacked the city.
[edit]Legend
There are many legends regarding the origin of the temple. One such legend says thatVilvamangalathu Swamiyar alias Divakara Muni prayed to Krishna for his darshan. Krishna came in disguise as a small, mischievous boy. The boy swallowed the Saligrama which was kept in Puja. The Sage became enraged at this and chased the boy until the boy hid himself behind a tree. The tree fell down and became Vishnu in Anantha Shayanam (reclining posture on Anantha the serpent) --but when he did so, he was of an extraordinarily large size. The Sage, recognizing that the tree was Vishnu, pleaded that because of the huge form the lord had manifested before him he could not either have a mind fulfilling darshan or circumambulate him. He then asked the Lord to shrink to a smaller proportion - thrice the length of his staff. Immediately, the Lord Vishnu shrunk himself, and told the sage that he should be worshipped through three doors. These doors are now the doors in the temple through which the idol may be viewed. Through the first door, the worship is offered to Shiva; through the second entrance to Brahma on the Lord's lotus navel, and through the third is Vishnu's feet, which are said to lead to salvation.[citation needed]
There was a great fire accident in which the original Murti which was made of the wood of that tree got burned during a fire that engulfed the temple complex, was a sign of the unhappiness of the lord with the king.[citation needed]
[edit]Belief
Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands at a place considered as one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras; texts including the Puranas, particularly the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana, have references to this shrine. Another story tells of a pulaya couple seeing Vishnu in the form of a child. The child took morsels of rice from the hands of the couple. Also it is believed that Divakaramuni, when he saw the deity he took the first food item he saw which was an Unripe Mango and a coconut shell as an offering plate and performed primary pooja. In memory of this legend, naivedyam or offering prepared from rice is offered to the deity here in a coconut shell.
[edit]Sri Padmanabha Swamy Mahatmyam - history
The idol is made up of 12008 salagramams that compose the reclining figure. They are considered extraordinary because they are from Nepal, from the banks of the Gandhaki river, and they were allegedly brought to the temple by elephant in an elaborate ceremony. On top of them, "katusarkara yogam", navaratnams, a special ayurvedic mix, was used to create plaster. Followers believe that the Lord has personally come in disguise and had saved the Travancore Kingdom from enemy attack on multiple occasions.
[edit]Nivedyam or offering to Perumal
Apart from the usual rice offering various other items are offered including Retna Payasam or offering of Payasam in a Gem studded Golden Vessel, Meni Thula Payasam or the Delicious Rice and Jaggery Pudding entirely made in Ghee, Pal Manga, Otta Thula Payasam, Panthranu Kalam Payasam, and Paal Payasam (Milk and Rice Pudding) which is very famous. During Thursdays, special Panakam is offered to Lord Narasimha. Unni Appam, Mothakam, Aval with sugar is also offered to Lord.[citation needed] But the most important Nivedyam in this Temple is the Uppu Manga (unripe mango soaked in brine water) which is offered in a gold covered chiratta or coconut shell. This coconut shell is more than 1200 years old. The Great Sage Vilwamangalathu Divakara Acharyar offered an unripe mango in this very same coconut shell and it is still prserved with thick layers of pure gold as an outer covering.
[edit]Darshan, sevas and festivals
There are many festivals related to this temple. The major festivals are bi-annual. The Alpashyfestival which is in October/November and the Painkuni festival which is in March/April, lasts for 10 days each. These festivals culminate with the Aarat (holy bath) procession to the Shankumugham Beach. The word Aarat refers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in sea. This event takes place in the evening. The King of Travancore escorts the Aarat procession by foot. The idols of Sri Padmanabhaswamy, Krishna and Narasimha are given a ritual bathe in the sea, after the prescribed pujas. After this ceremony, the idols are taken back to the temple as a procession in the light of traditional torches, marking the conclusion of the festival.
A major annual festival related to Padmanabha temple is the Navaratri festival. The idols ofSaraswati, Durga, and Murukan are brought to the kuthira malika palace in front of Padmanabha temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days. The famous Swathi music festival is held every year during this festival.
The biggest festival in this temple is laksha deepam, which means hundred thousand (or one lakh) lamps. This festival is unique and commences once in 6 years. Prior to this festival, chanting of prayers and recitation of three vedas is done for 56 days. On the festival time, hundred thousand oil lamps are lit in and around the temple premises. The next laksha deepam is slated on January 2014
Darshan times are (before noon) 3.30-4.45, 6.30-7.00, 8.30-10.00, 10.30-11.00, 11.45-12.00; (after noon) 5.00-6.15 and 6.45-7.20. Only Hindus are permitted inside the temple. Devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. Men should remove clothes above waist and deposit in the locker room. No one is permitted to wear dress that displays both legs separately. This means no pants for men or churidhar for women. Dhotis can be borrowed at the locker room for Rs. 15. Dhotis can be worn over pants or churidhar. No cell phones or cameras are permitted inside the temple. Cell phones must be deposited in the locker room after taking it out of the bag for Rs. 15 a piece. Hand bags are permitted inside.
[edit]Compositions
Nammalvar had sung in praise of Lord Padmanabha Swamy. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma wrote many songs on Sri Padmanabha. Most of these songs have the word Padmanabha in them.
[edit]Treasure trove
 | It has been suggested that Secret chambers of Padmanabha Swami temple be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) Proposed since July 2011. |
In 2011 the Supreme Court of India directed the authorities from the fire services and archeology department[12] to open the secret (sanctum sanctorum) chambers of the temple for inspection of the items kept inside.[2] The inspections at the temple began after the Supreme Court endorsed a Kerala High Court order that the state government take over the temple and its assets. The high court order was given after a local lawyer, Sundar Rajan, petitioned it because, he alleged, the trust running the temple did not have the capacity to ensure the security of its assets. On July 2, 2011, approximately 500 billion (US$11.15 billion)[13] worth of gold, jewels, and other treasures were unearthed in the vaults of the temple. Several 18th century Napoleonic era coins were found,[2] as well as a gold idol of Mahavishnu and ceremonial attire for adorning the deity in the form of 16-part gold anki weighing almost 30 kilograms (66 lb) together with gold coconut shells, one studded with rubies and emeralds.[14] The Kerala High Court recently ordered the temple be managed by the State to ensure the security of the temple and its treasures. This ruling was set aside by the Supreme Court. The Temple remains under the control of a private trust run by the Royal family. On 3rd July, the total stands at 1Lakh crore (US $22 billion).
This revelation has solidified the status of the Padmanabhaswamy temple as one of the wealthiest temples in India and with the final estimate of the wealth, it might overtake the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple—thought to be the wealthiest temple—having some 320 billion (US$7.14 billion) in gold, coins and other treasures.[13] It is estimated that the value of the monumental items is close to 1 trillion (US$22.3 billion), making it the richest temple in the world.[15][4] If the antique value is taken into account, this treasure will be worth 10 times the current market price.[15]
The treasure is thought to have been in the temple for more than one hundred years, having been put there by the maharajahs ofTravancore.[2]
This represents the highest valued assets at present, saved in secret chambers by the royal families.
The temple has 6 vaults (Kallaras) that are hidden under the sanctum sanctorum. While vaults A and B were unopened over the past 130 years, vaults C to F are opened from time to time. The two priests of the temple, the 'Periya Nambi' and the 'Thekkedom Nambi', are the custodians of the four vaults, C to F, which are opened periodically. The Supreme Court had directed that "the existing practices, procedures and rituals" of the temple be followed while opening vaults C to F and using the articles inside. Vaults A and B shall be opened only for the purpose of making an inventory of the articles and then closed.
[edit]See also
[edit]References
- ^ Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple — Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi, ISBN 1-127-36587-8
- ^ a b c d e Padanna, Ashraf (1 July 2011). "India: Treasure unearthed in Kerala temple". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ a b "Temples of Kerala - Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple - Temples of India @ New Kerala .Com". Temples.newkerala.com. Retrieved 2011-07-03.
- ^ a b "Kerala's Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple could well be richest in country" (in English). THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Economic Times. 2 JUL, 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ Gopalakrishnan, Lekshmi (July 4, 2011). "Discovery of temple treasure sparks debate on its preservation" (in English). THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: msn news. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ G, Ananthakrishnan (Jul 3, 2011). "Rs 75,000 cr and counting: More treasure tumbles out of shrine" (in English). THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Times of India. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ "Investigators turn to final vault at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple". Reuters. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ^ Khaleej Times Economic Times CNN IBN
- ^ "Nammalvar : Poems and Biography". Poetry-chaikhana.com. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ Selvister Ponnumuthan (1996). The spirituality of basic ecclesial communities in the socio-religious context of Trivandrum/Kerala, India. Editrice Pontificia Università Gregoriana. p. Page 62.
- ^ "Padmanabhaswamy Temple Thiruvananthapuram Kerala". Naturemagics.com. Retrieved 2011-07-03.
- ^ "Rs50k cr worth treasure in Kerala temple". Times of India. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ a b "'Billions worth' of treasure found in Indian temple". 2 July 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ ""Golden idol of Vishnu found at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple"". Thehindu.com. 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ a b "India Today Kerala's Padmanabha temple treasure 120000 crore" (in English). THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India Today. July 3, 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
[edit]External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Padmanabhaswamy Temple |
- Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
- Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple-The Richest Temple in India
- Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
- Padmanabhaswamy temple
- Article on the temple
- Kerala's Padmanabha temple floating in a sea of gold
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- This page was last modified on 4 July 2011 at 14:57.
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