RESEARCH PROJECT

A STUDY ON
“PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM”

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
NIMAL V. S, B.Sc., (DEGREE IN HOSPITALITY & HOTEL
ADMINISTRATION).

Submitted by:
NIMAL V. S
2041211011
III YEAR in H & H.A

STATE INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND

CATERING TECHNOLOGY THUVAKKUDI,
TIRUCHIRAPALLI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA - 620015

Phone:0431-2500-660, 2501 383/Fax:0431-2500 960

Visit: www.sihmct.org / E-mail: [email protected]

 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that NIMAL. V. S, final year student of third year B.Sc., Degree
in Hospitality and Hotel Administration has successfully completed her project titled
“PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE THIRUVANANTHAPURAM” during
the academic year of 2020-2023.

STAFF INCHARGE GUIDE INCHARGE

(Mrs. TAPASI )

PRINCIPAL
(Mr. SRIDHAR PENUGONDA)

Submitted for the practical Examination held in the month of _____________2023 at

this Institute.

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNALEXAMINER

TITLE OF THE PROJECT - PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

I take pride in doing this research project because it is important in

my curriculum of three years B.Sc., Degree in Hospitality and Hotel
Administration. I have chosen this topic as I have idea to work in food
production department. This is very useful to my career path and I know
about it.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am indebted to all those who very kindly extended their help to

me in the preparation of this project. No endeavor achieves success without
the advice and cooperation of others. I would like to mention certain people
and organization who have directly and indirectly contributed to this project.

• First and fore most I would like to mention our principal

Mr. SHRIDHAR PENUGONDA.
• My project guide Mrs. TAPASI.
• My staff in-charge
• SIHMCT lecturer and staffs.
• I want to thanks my all colleagues and friends who have lent their
encouragement and support the ventures of mine.

Submitted by
NIMAL. V. S
 INDEX

S. NO CONTENT PG.NO

1. Introduction 1

History 9
2.

3. Travancore Royal Family 17

4. Temple Structure 22

5. Architecture and Features 29

6. Significance 38

7. Treasure 48

8. Temple Rituals 57

9. Temple Management 61

10. Temple Assests 63

11. Controversies 73

12. Cultural 79
ABSTRACT
The tourism sector became one of the most important industries which paved The
way for economic progress in many countries. There are various types of tourism Existed
like Eco tourism, medical tourism, Adventure tourism, Pilgrim tourism etc,. Tourism is
promoted by the government and organizations and treated as a part of Their culture. In
Kerala the tourism department was organized by the government to Attract tourist from
worldwide they also have a vision to explore the cultural Characteristics of Kerala state to
the world. With its natural beauty, Kerala is famous for religious center and every year
large numbers of religious or pilgrim tourists visited Kerala. Sree Padmanabha Swamy
temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital City of Kerala state is one of the important
religious centres which attracted large Number of tourist from in and abroad. The festivals
and the religious ceremonies of the temple which were originally starts during the time of
Travancore ruling dynasty And its architecture are the main attractions. But now it again
amazed the world Through disclose of its huge treasure. The present paper tries to analyse
the historical Background and the main attractions of the temple and its role to promote
tourism in Kerala.
 PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE

1..INTRODUCTION
THE SHREE PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE IS A HINDU
TEMPLE LOCATED in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala, India. The
name of the city of 'Thiruvananthapuram' in Malayalam and Tamil translates to "The City
of Lord Ananta" (Ananta being a form of Vishnu). The temple is built in an intricate fusion
of the Chera style and the Dravidian style of architecture, featuring high walls, and a 16th-
century gopura. While as per some traditions the Ananthapura
temple in Kumbla in Kasaragod district in Kerala is considered as the original spiritual seat
of the deity ("Moolasthanam"), architecturally to some extent, the temple is a replica of
the Adikesava Perumal temple in Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu.

1
 The principal deity is Padmanabhaswamy (Vishnu), who is enshrined in the
"Anantha Shayana" posture, the eternal yogic sleep on the infinite serpent Adi
Shesha. Padmanabhaswamy is the tutelary deity of the Travancore royal family. The
titular Maharaja of Travancore, Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma, is the current trustee of
the templ“To other countries, I may go as a tourist, but to India, I come as a pilgrim.

The sacred image of India is been strengthened by various events and practices
carried out in the country. Great number of tourists are attracted towards the cultural
richness of the country, which includes Navarathri festival, Kumbhamela,Kalachakra

2
festivals, and many more. Government involvement and participation for the development
of tourism sector attracts many a number of tourists from within and outside the country.

The religious importance of many great tourist spots often increases because of the
visits of renowned religious personalities. Tourism sector was an integral part of India‟s
culture and tradition. In the past pilgrimage was the main motive behind travel, which was
centered on the holy places in the country. This resulted in development of a cultural
tradition of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' 3. The peaceful and harmonious existence of various
religions paved way for the development of Indian tourism under the banner of Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam which means the world is one family.From the time immemorial the rulers
in different parts of India built palaces, gardens, temples, forts, tombs and memorials giving
expression to the depth of one's feelings and sentiments, which remains as testimony to the
rich cultural heritage of this land. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's famous quote "Welcome A
Tourist And Send Back A Friend" has been the essence of India Tourism.

3
 Kerala, a stateon India's tropical Malabar Coast, has nearly 600km of Arabian Sea
shoreline. It's known for its palm-lined beaches and backwaters, a network of canals. Inland
are the Western Ghats, mountains whose slopes support tea, coffee and spice plantations
as well as wildlife. National parks like Eravikulam and Periyar, plus Wayanad and other
sanctuaries, are home to elephants, langur monkeys and tigers.Population: 3.46 crores
(2018)is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Named as one of the
ten paradises of the world by National Geographic Traveler, Kerala is famous especially
for its ecotourism initiatives and beautiful backwaters.

Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demography, have made
Kerala one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Several international
agencies ranging from UNESCO to National Geographic have recognised the state's
tourism potential.

4
 Kerala is a popular destination for both domestic as well as foreign tourists.
Kerala is well known for its beaches, backwaters in Alappuzha and Kollam, mountain
ranges and wildlife sanctuaries.

Other popular attractions in the state include the beaches at Kovalam,

Muzhappilangad, Bekal and Kappad; backwater tourism and lake resorts around
Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam; hill stations and resorts at Munnar, Wayanad, Nelliampathi,
Vagamon and Ponmudi; and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries at Wayanad, Periyar,
Parambikulam, Silent Valley National Park and Eravikulam National Park.

5
 Kerala was named by TIME magazine in 2022 among the 50 extraordinary
destinations to explore in its list of the World’s Greatest Places. In 2023, Kerala was listed
at the 13th spot in The New York Times' annual list of places to visit and was the only
tourist destination listed from India Until the early 1980s, Kerala was a relatively unknown
destination, with most tourism circuits concentrated around the north of the country.
Aggressive marketing campaigns launched by the Kerala Tourism Development
Corporatio the government agency that oversees tourism prospects of the state laid the
foundation for the growth of the tourism industry.

6
 In the decades that followed, Kerala Tourism was able to transform itself into one
of the niche holiday destinations in India. The tag line Kerala – God's Own Country was
adopted in its tourism promotions and became a global superbrand. Kerala is regarded as
one of the destinations with the highest brand recall. In 2010, Kerala attracted 660,000
foreign tourist arrivals.

The history of the temple dates back to the 8th Century CE, when
Thiruvananthapuram was ruled by theChera Dynasty. The Divya Prabandha canon of
literature by the Alvars glorifies this shrine as one of 11Divya Desams in Kerala. It is said
that there are references to this temple in four puranas; namelyBrahma, Vayu, Varaha,
Padma. The 8th century Alvar poet Nammalvar created four slokas and onephalasruthi
about this temple.

The "backwaters" region—an extensive network of interlocking rivers, lakes,

and canals that centre on Vembanad Lake, also see heavy tourist traffic. Heritage sites,
such as the Padmanabhapuram Palace, Hill Palace, and Mattancherry Palace, are also
visited. To further promote tourism in Kerala, the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival was
started by the Government of Kerala in 2007.Since then it has been held every year during
the December–January period.The state's tourism agenda promotes ecologically sustained
tourism, which focuses on the local culture, wilderness adventures, volunteering and
personal growth of the local population. Efforts are taken to minimize the adverse effects
of traditional tourism on the natural environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local
people. The state has also made deep inroads into MICE Tourism mainly centered at Kochi.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus
in South India. The temple is known for its strict dress code and rules about entry and
photography, which are meant to maintain the sanctity and purity of the temple. The temple
is also known for its association with the Travancore Royal family, who have been patrons
of the temple for several centuries. The temple's treasure also adds to its allure and
continues to fascinate people from all over the world.

7
1.1 Significance of the Temple
The temple is amongst the 108 principal Divya Desams in Vaishnavism and is
glorified in the Divya Prabandha. It is believed that Parasurama has placed the idol of
Sree Padmanabha in Dwapara Yuga.

Another view is that the legendary sage V'ilvamangalathu Swamiyar prayed to Lord
Vishnu for his darshan and the Lord is believed to have come in the guise of a mischievous
little boy who damaged the Idol kept there. The sage became furious over the boy and
chased him until the boy disappeared before him. The sage soon realised that the boy was
the Lord himself and wept for forgiveness. He requested for another Darshan of the Lord
to which he heard a voice to visit Ananthankadu.

One day, the sage heard the name of Ananthankadu from a lady and reached the
spot as directed by her. Upon reaching, he saw a boy merging into an Indian Butter Tree.
The tree fell down and became Anantha Sayana Moorti of an extraordinarily large size,
with His head at Thiruvattar near Thuckalay Tamil Nadu, Body or Udal at
Thiruvananthapuram, and lotus-feet at Thrippadapuram near Kulathoor and Technopark
(Thrippappur)-- eight miles in length.

8
 2. HISTORY

In earlier years[when?] Padmanabhaswamy Temple and its properties were

controlled by eight powerfulNair feudal lords known as Ettuveetil Pillamar (Lords of the
Eight Houses), under the guidance of theCouncil of Eight and a Half. In a battle of
succession in the 18th century, King Anizham Thirunal ValiyaMarthanda Varma, the
ruler traditionally regarded as the founder of Travancore, successfullysuppressed the
Ettuveetil Pillais and his cousins following the discovery of conspiracies the Lords
wereinvolved in against the Royal House of Travancore.

The last major renovation of the Padmanabhaswamytemple was also done by

Marthanda Varma. On January 3, 1750, Anizham Thirunal "surrendered" thekingdom of
Travancore to Padmanabha, the deity at the temple, and pledged that he and
hisdescendants would "serve" the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa.Since then, the name of
everyTravancore King was preceded by the title Padmanabha Dasa, while the female
members of the Royalfamily were called Padmanabha Sevinis. The donation of the
Kingdom to Sree Padmanabhaswamy wasknown as Thripadidanam and afterwards the
Maharaja was known as Sree Padmanabha DasaVanchipala Varma Kulashekara
Kireetapati. By surrendering the kingdom to Lord Padmanabha, thewhole Travancore
state became the property of Sree Padmanabhaswamy.

Several extant Hindu texts including the Vishnu Purana, Brahma Purana, Matsya
Purana, Varaha Purana, Skanda Purana, Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Bhagavata
Purana mention the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The Temple has been referred to in the
(only recorded) Sangam period literature several times. Many conventional historians and
scholars are of the opinion that one of the names that the Temple had, "The Golden
Temple", was in cognisance of the Temple being already unimaginably wealthy by that
point (early Sangam period).

9
 Many extant pieces of Sangam Tamil literature and poetry as well as later works
of the 9th century of Tamil poet–saints like Nammalwar refer to the temple and the city as
having walls of pure gold. Both the temple and the entire city are often eulogised as being
made of gold, and the temple as heaven.

The temple is one of the 108 principal Divya Desams ("Holy Abodes")
in Vaishnavism according to existing Tamil hymns from the seventh and eighth centuries
C.E and is glorified in the Divya Prabandha. The Divya Prabandha glorifies this shrine as
being among the 13 Divya Desam in Malai Nadu (corresponding to present-day Kerala
with Kanyakumari District). The 8th century Tamil poet Alvar Nammalvar sang the glories
of Lord Padmanabha.

It is believed that Parasurama purified and venerated the idol of Sree

Padmanabhaswamy in Dvapara Yuga. Parasurama entrusted 'Kshethra karyam'
10
(Administration of the Temple) with seven Potti families – Koopakkara Potti, Vanchiyoor
Athiyara Potti, Kollur Athiyara Potti, Muttavila Potti, Karuva Potti, Neythasseri Potti and
Sreekaryathu Potti. King Adithya Vikrama of Vanchi (Venad) was directed by Parasurama
to do 'Paripalanam' (Protection) of the Temple. Parasurama gave the Tantram of the Temple
to Tharananallur Namboothiripad. This legend is narrated in detail in the Kerala
Mahathmyam which forms part of the Brahmanda Puranam.

Another version regarding the consecration of the principal idol of the Temple
relates to the legendary sage Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar. Swamiyar, who resided
near Ananthapuram Temple in Kasaragod District, prayed to Lord Vishnu for
his darshan or "auspicious sight". The Lord is believed to have come in the guise of a little
boy who was mischievous.

The boy defiled the idol which was kept for puja. The sage became enraged at this
and chased away the boy who disappeared before him. Realising the boy was no ordinary
mortal, the sage wept for forgiveness and asked for another darshan as a sign. He heard a
voice say "If you want to see me come to the Anathavana (the unending forest or
Ananthakadu).

After a long search, when he was walking on the banks of the Laccadive Sea, he
heard a pulaya lady warning her child that she would throw him in Ananthankadu. The
moment the Swami heard the word Ananthankadu he was delighted. He proceeded to
Ananthankadu based on the directions of the lady of whom he enquired. The sage reached
Ananthankadu searching for the boy. There he saw the boy merging into an iluppa tree
(Indian butter tree). The tree fell down and became Anantha Sayana Moorti (Vishnu
reclining on the celestial snake Anantha).

11
 But the edifice that the Lord assumed was of an extraordinarily large size, with His
head at Thiruvattar near Thuckalay, Tamil Nadu, body or udal at Thiruvananthapuram,
and lotus-feet at Thrippadapuram near Kulathoor and Technopark (Thrippappur), making
him some eight miles in length. The sage requested the Lord to shrink to a smaller

proportion that would be thrice the length of his staff. Immediately the Lord shrank to the
form of the idol that is seen at present in the Temple. But even then many iluppa trees
obstructed a complete vision of the Lord. The sage saw the Lord in three parts –
thirumukham, thiruvudal and thrippadam. The swami prayed to Padmanabha to be
forgiven. He offered rice kanji and uppumanga (salted mango pieces) in a coconut shell to
the Perumal which he obtained from the pulaya woman.

12
 The spot where the Sage had darsan of the Lord belonged to Koopakkara Potti and
Karuva Potti. With the assistance of the reigning King and some Brahmin households a
temple was constructed. The Ananthankadu Nagaraja Temple still exists to the northwest
of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The samadhi (final resting place)

of the swamiyar exists to the west of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Temple has
been referred to in the (only recorded) Sangam period literature several times. Many
conventional historians and scholars are of the opinion that one of the names that the Templ

13
 A Krishna temple was built over the samadhi. This temple, known as
Vilvamangalam Sri Krishna Swami Temple, belongs to Thrissur Naduvil Madhom.

Mukilan, a Muslim marauder, invaded vast chunks of Venad in 1680 AD. He

destroyed Budhapuram Bhaktadasa Perumal Temple owned by Neythasseri Potti. Mukilan
had plans to plunder the vaults of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and destroy it. But he
was dissuaded from doing so by local Muslims loyal to the royals of Venad. Padmanabhan
Thampi, arch rival of Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, marched to
Thiruvananthapuram with

14
his forces and tried to loot the vaults of the Temple. Thampi stayed at Sri Varaham and
sent his mercenaries to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It is said that divine serpents
materialised in hundreds and scared away Thampi's men. Emboldened by Budhapuram
Bhaktadasa Perumal Temple owned by Neythasseri Potti. Mukilan had plans to plunder
the vaults of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and destroy it. But he was dissuaded from
doing so by local Muslims loyal to the royals this heavenly intervention, Pallichal Pillai and
local people opposed Padmanabhan Thampi and ensured that the mercenaries did not
proceed with the misadventure.

15
 According to legend, the temple was built by a king named Anizham Thirunal
Marthanda Varma in the 8th century AD. The temple was built on a piece of land that was
reclaimed from the sea. The original temple structure was built using wood and thatch.

In the 16th century, the temple underwent major renovations under the patronage of
the Travancore kings. The wooden structure was replaced with stone, and the temple was
expanded. The temple also became a major center of learning and scholarship during this
period.

In the 18th century, the temple underwent another major renovation under the
patronage of the Travancore kings. The current structure of the temple was built during this
period, including the massive gopuram (temple tower) and the inner sanctum.

The temple played an important role in the social and political life of the region
during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Travancore kings were staunch supporters of the
temple and considered it the cultural and religious center of their kingdom.

In 2011, the temple gained international attention when several vaults within the
temple were opened, revealing a vast collection of treasures, including gold, silver, and
precious stones. The estimated value of the treasure is billions of dollars, making the
Padmanabhaswamy Temple one of the richest temples in the world.

Today, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus

and a major tourist attraction in Kerala. The temple's rich history, stunning architecture,
and vast collection of treasures continue to draw visitors from all over the world.

16
 3. TRAVANCORE ROYAL FAMILY

In the first half of the 18th century, in line with matrilineal customs, Anizham
Thirunal Marthanda Varma, succeeded his uncle Rama Varma as king at the age of 23. He
successfully suppressed the 700-year-old stranglehold of the Ettuveetil Pillamar ("Lords of
the Eight Houses") and his cousins following the discovery of conspiracies which the lords
were involved in against the royal house of Travancore (There are various legends and
disputes about these mostly apocryphal stories, but overall, he took control and centralised
the rule).

The last major renovation of the Padmanabhaswamy temple commenced

immediately after Anizham Thirunal's accession to the throne and the idol was

17
reconsecrated in 906 ME (1731 CE). On 17 January 1750, Anizham Thirunal surrendered
the Kingdom of Travancore to Padmanabhaswamy, the main deity at the temple, and
pledged that he and his descendants would be vassals or agents of the deity who would
serve the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa.

Since then, the name of every Travancore king was preceded by the title 'Sree
Padmanabha Dasa'; the female members of the royal family were called 'Sree Padmanabha
Sevinis' both meaning the servant to Padmanabhaswamy; . The donation of the king to
Padmanabhaswamy was known as Thrippadi-danam. The final wishes of Anizham
Thirunal on his passing at the age of 53 clearly delineated the historical relationship
between the Maharaja and the temple: "That no deviation whatsoever should be made in
regard to the dedication of the kingdom to Padmanabhaswamy and that all future territorial
acquisitions should be made over to the Devaswom."

18
 The Kingdom of Travancore (/ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of
Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by
the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At
its zenith, the kingdom covered most of the south of modern-
day Kerala (Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam,
and Thiruvananthapuram districts, and some portions of Ernakulam district), and the
southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari district and some parts
of Tenkasi district) with the Thachudaya Kaimal's enclave
of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin.

However Tangasseri areakof Kollam cityjand Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiru

vananthapuram district, were British colonies and were part of the Malabar District until
30 June 1927, and Tirunelveli district from 1 July 1927 onwards. Travancore merged
with the erstwhile princely state of Cochin to form Travancore-Cochin in 1950.

TheKfive Tamilkmajority Taluks of Vilavancode, Kalkulam, Thovalai, Agasthees

waram, and Sengottai were transferred from Travancore-Cochin to Madras State in
1956. The Malayalam-speaking regions of Travancore-Cochin merged with the Malabar

19
District (excluding the Laccadive and Minicoy Islands)kandKthe Kasaragod taluk of
the South Canara district in Madras State to form the modern Malayalam-state
of Kerala on 1 November 1956, according to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 passed
by the Government of India.

The official flag of the state was red with a dextrally-coiled silver conch
shell (Turbinella pyrum) at its centre. The coat of arms had two elephants standing to the
left and right with the conch shell (Turibinella pyrum) in the centre. The ribbon is white
with black Devanagari script. Travancore was bounded by the princely state of
the Kingdom of Cochin and the Coimbatore district of Madras Presidency to the
north, Madurai and Tirunelveli districts of Pandya Nadu region in Madras Presidency to
the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Arabian Sea to the west. As of the 1911
Census of India, Travancore was divided into
five: Padmanabhapuram, Trivandrum, Quilon, Kottayam, and Devikulam, of which the
first and last were predominantly Tamil-speaking areas.

20
 King Marthanda Varma inherited the small feudal state of Venad in 1723, and built
it into Travancore, one of the most powerful kingdoms in southern India. Marthanda
Varma led the Travancorean forces during the Travancore-Dutch War of 1739–46, which
culminated in the Battle of Colachel. The defeat of the Dutch by Travancore is considered
the earliest example of an organised power from Asia overcoming European military
technology and tactics. Marthanda Varma went on to conquer most of the petty
principalities of the native rulers. Travancore became the most dominant state in Kerala by
defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755.

In the early 19th century, the kingdom became a princely state of the British Empire. The
Travancore Government took many progressive steps on the socio-economic front and
during the reign of Maharajah Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, Travancore became
a prosperous modern princely state in British India, with reputed achievements in
education, political administration, public work, and social reforms. In 1903–1904, the
total revenue of the state was Rs. 1,02,01,900.

21
 4. TEMPLE STRUCTURE
4.1 Main shrine

In the Garbhagriha, Padmanabha reclines on the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha. The
serpent has five hoods facing inwards, signifying contemplation. The Lord's right hand is
placed over a Shiva lingam. Sridevi-Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity and Bhudevi the
Goddess of Earth, two consorts of Vishnu are by his side. Brahma emerges on a lotus,
which emanates from the navel of the Lord. The deity is made from
12,008 saligramams. These saligrams are from the banks of the Gandaki River in Nepal,
and to commemorate this, certain rituals used to be performed at the Pashupatinath
Temple. The deity of Padmanabha is covered with, "Katusarkara yogam", a special
ayurvedic mix which is made of 108 natural materials collected from all over India and
forms a coat-like protection that keeps the deity clean. The daily worship is with flowers,
and for the abhishekam, special deities are used.

The platforms in front of the vimanam and where the deity rests are both carved out
of a single massive stone and hence called "Ottakkal-mandapam". On the orders
of Marthanda Varma (1706–58), the Ottakkal-mandapam was cut out of a rock at
Thirumala, about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the temple

. It measured 20 square feet (1.9 m2; 190 dm2; 19,000 cm2) in area by 2.5 feet
(30 in; 7.6 dm; 76 cm) thick and was placed in front of the deity in the month of Edavom
906 M.E. (1731 CE). At the same time, Marthanda Varma also brought
12,000 shaligrams, aniconic through the first door; Sridevi and Bhrigu Muni in
Katusarkara, Brahma seated on a lotus emanating from the Lord's navel, hence the name,
"Padmanabha", gold abhisheka moorthies of Padmanabha, Sridevi and Bhudevi, and silver
utsava moorthi representations of Vishnu, These saligrams are from the banks of
the Gandaki River in Nepal, and to commemorate this, certain rituals used to be performed
22
at the Pashupatinath Temple. The deity of Padmanabha is covered from the Gandaki River,
north of Benares (now known as Varanasi) to the temple. These were used in the
reconsecration of Lord Padmanabha.

In order to perform darshan and puja, one has to ascend to the mandapam. The deity
is visible through three doors – the visage of the reclining Lord and Siva Linga underneath
his hand is seen through the first door; Sridevi and Bhrigu Muni in Katusarkara, Brahma
seated on a lotus emanating from the Lord's navel, hence the name, "Padmanabha", gold
abhisheka moorthies of Padmanabha, Sridevi and Bhudevi, and silver utsava moorthi of
Padmanabha through the second door; the Lord's feet, and Bhudevi and Markandeya Muni
in Katusarkara through the third door.

23
 The idols of two goddesses holding chamaram, Garuda, Narada, Tumburu, the
divine forms of the six weapons of Vishnu, Surya, Chandra, the Saptarshi, Madhu, and
Kaitabha are also in the Sanctum. Only the King of Travancore may prostrate on the
"Ottakkal Mandapam" It is traditionally held that anybody who prostrates on the
mandapam has surrendered all that he possesses to the Deity. Since the ruler has already
done that, he is permitted to prostrate on this mandapam.

4.2 Other shrines

Inside the Temple, there are two other important shrines, Thekkedom and
Thiruvambadi, for the Deities, Ugra Narasimha and Krishna Swami respectively.

Centuries back, several families of Vrishni Kshatriyas travelled to the south,

carrying with them idols of Lord Balarama and Lord Krishna. When they reached the
hallowed land of Sree Padmanabha, they gave the idol of Balarama, also known as
Bhaktadasa, to Neythasseri Potti. Neythasseri Potti built a Temple at Budhapuram in the
present day Kanyakumari District and had this idol installed there. The Vrishnis gifted the
idol of Krishna to Maharaja Udaya Marthanda Varma of Venad.

The Maharaja constructed a separate shrine, known as Thiruvambadi, in the

premises of Padmanabhaswamy Temple for this idol. The Thiruvambadi shrine enjoys an
independent status. Thiruvambadi has its own namaskara mandapam, bali stones and
flagmast. The Lord of Thiruvambadi is Parthasarathi, the Divine Charioteer of Arjuna, who
is the warrior prince and one of the main protagonists that appear in the story
of Mahabharata. The two-armed granite idol, with one hand holding the whip and the other
resting on the left thigh holding the conch close to it, is in standing posture.
On Ekadasi days, the Lord is dressed and decorated as Mohini. The Vrishnies who came to

24
Venad and settled there are known as Krishnan Vakakkar as they belong to the lineage of
Lord Krishna.

There are also shrines for Lord Rama accompanied by his consort Sita,
brother Lakshmana and Hanuman, Vishwaksena (the Nirmalyadhari of Vishnu and
Remover ofhObstacles), Vyasa and Ashwatthama the Chiranjivis, Ganapati, Sasta, and
Kshetrapala (who guards the temple). Grand idols of Garuda and Hanuman stand with
folded hands in the Valiya balikkal area. The thevara idols of Chithira Thirunal Balarama
Varma and Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma are housed in the south east part of the
Temple.

25
4.3 Gopuram

The foundation of the present gopuram was laid in 1566. The temple has a 100-foot
(30 m) high 7-tier gopuram built in the Pandyan style. 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 which
stands out to be an ultimate testimonial for the Vishwakarma sthapathis in sculpting this
architectural masterpiece. This corridor extends from the eastern side into the sanctum
sanctorum. An 80-foot (24 m) flagstaff stands in front of the main entry from
the prakaram(closed precincts of a temple).

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.

A visual hallmark of the temple is the gopuram, a tower made of granite and brick
that rises 100 feet above the ground, with a foundation that is nearly 40 feet deep. It has a
pyramidal structure and rests above the main east entrance to the temple. Ornate sculptures
adorn the walls of this lofty edifice. As per old temple records, back, several families
of Vrishni Kshatriyas travelled to the south, carrying with them idols of Lord Balarama and
Lord Krishna. When they reached the hallowed land of Sree Padmanabha, they gave the
idol of Balarama, also known as Bhaktadasa, to Neythasseri Potti. Neythasseri Potti built
a Temple at Budhapuram the foundation of the gopuram was laid during the 16th century
CE with the construction largely getting completed in the 18th century during the reign of
the Travancore king Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The temple however steeps far
further back in antiquity.

26
 There are seven floors to this gopuram, with a pair of window-like openings along
the center on opposite sides of six of these floors. The opening on the lowest floor is also
the grand doorway to enter the temple. The temple door and the window openings on the
five floors are aligned vertically from the bottom to the top of the gopuram. At the top of
the edifice are a set of seven kalasha evenly spaced.

The precise orientation of the gopuram becomes evident through a rare visual
spectacle that unfolds twice every year. On the days of equinox, one gets to see the setting
Sun passing exactly through all the window openings in the gopuram in succession, in
roughly five minute intervals (see Figure). On days past the equinox, the setting Sun gets
blocked by the tower structure.

27
28
 5. ARCHITECTURE AND FEATURES

Defining the precise east – west direction is not an easy task. What techniques did
the sthapathis employ to determine this? The answer to this can be found in the
mathematics and astronomy texts of ancient India. Though magnetic compasses were in
use for navigational purposes as early as the 11th century CE, it was known that the
magnetic directions of north and south do not coincide with the geographical north and
south, the difference though minimal for regions close to the equator.

Much earlier to the development of compasses, there were simple geometrical

techniques widely used to establish the cardinal directions. The earliest records on this can
be found in the collection of texts called sulbasutras.

The sulbasutras are some of the oldest written records of mathematics (see appendix
2). They primarily contain geometrical techniques for the construction of structures for
different rituals. One of the topics dealt with in sulbasutras is the determination of prime
directions by observing the Sun on any given day of the year. Mahadhira (16th century CE)
in his commentary to Katyayana sulbasutra explicitly states that it would be incorrect to
assume East based on the direction of dawn on any arbitrary day [3, 4].

As the rising points (of the Sun) are many, differing from day to day, the east-west
direction cannot be known just by observing the sunrise or sunset (on any arbitrary day). It
is suggested that the east-west be determined by fixing a shanku (pointed stick) etc.
Katyayana sulbasutra explains a simple set of observations that can be done on any given
day to establish the E-W line [3, 4]:

29
 Fix a stick on a level ground; draw a circle with a string measured by the stick; fix
nails at points on the line (of the circumference of the circle) where the shadow of the tip
of the stick falls (at two different times of the day). The line joining the two points forms
the east-west line.

Here the word shanku refers to gnomon, or most simply a stick with a pointed
tip, rajju refers to rope, and prachi is east (whereas udichi is north)

Temple has been referred to in the (only recorded) Sangam period literature several
times. Many conventional historians and scholars are of the opinion that one of the names
that the Temple. . This truly happens due to the incremental changes in the position of the
Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Tantrasangraha recognizes this, and suggests purva-para-
bindhu-shodanam as the procedure for correcting this offset (see appendix 3)

30
 (An illustration of the technique suggested in sulbasutras for determining exact E-
W. The shadow of the stick changes its size and orientation with the passing of time from
sunrise to sunset. The exact E-W would correspond to the two points where the edge of the
shadow touches the periphery of the circle drawn with the stick as the center.)

In projective geometry, there is the concept of vanishing point. Lines that are drawn
parallel to each other will appear to meet at infinity. Thus it would not matter from where
we do the above experiment. The line drawn by every person doing the same experiment
will be pointing East – West. This method is now famously known globally as the
“gnomon-circle method” or the “Indian circle method”.

Tantrasangraha goes further by pointing out a minor correction that needs to be

applied to get the direction precisely right. Since the entire set of observations lasts for
several hours, the apparent position of the Sun relative to the distant set of background stars
31
would change within that duration. The Sun would have moved a little bit north or south
in its journey depending on the time of the year. This truly happens due to the incremental
changes in the position of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Tantrasangraha recognizes
this, and suggests purva-para-bindhu-shodanam as the procedure for correcting this offset
(see appendix 3). The method is also mentioned in the famous Siddhanthasiromani of
Bhaskaracharya, who lived during the 12th century CE.

The technique is staggeringly simple, wanting barely any paraphernalia except for
a stick and a rope. One finds more elaborate mentions of the same approach in some
consequent texts of mathematics. For example, in the highly celebrated
work tantrasangraha written by the brilliant mathematician Nilkanta Somayaji who lived
during the 15-th century CE in Kerala, there is a complete description of this method of
finding the East-West [4].

32
 The stick-circle method, first described in the sulbasutras, and which finds recurrent
mention in many subsequent texts, is what the stapathis (architects) of the
Padmanabhaswamy temple are likely to have used to get the orientation of the temple right.
It takes the setting Sun only about half an hour to move down through the windows of the
100 foot long gopuram of the temple. The time frame is too short for the additional fine
correction to be of consequence. But having access to this knowledge, and an impulse to
achieve perfection, it is likely that the correction was also taken into consideration while
fixing the orientation of the gopuram orthogonal to the east-west.

(The top view layout of the temple. The gopuram and the idol of Padmanabhaswamy are
positioned exactly perpendicular to the east west line.)

The tower and the temple of the Sri Padamanabhaswamy stand as a testimony to the
architectural brilliance and scientific knowledge of the sculptors who built this beautiful

33
edifice three centuries ago. Many local residents are aware of the visual spectacle that
unfolds during the equinox.

But beyond that, these facts are not widely known. No science or history curriculum
of the state mentions in detail the mathematics of sulbasutras or the tantrasangraha, despite
the latter being a monumental treatise written in Kerala five centuries ago. The temple is a
living tangible example of how mathematics and astronomy can be unified into complex
architectural design, but it is seldom taught to children in those terms as a locally accessible
example.

At a time when educationalists and policy makers are thinking long and hard for
ways to blend STEM education with the arts, and allied fields, the absence of such
examples in our formal curriculum could only mean one of two things. Either we have not
looked deep into regional and micro-history to pick out these brilliant nuggets from the
past, or that we have chosen to consciously ignore them. One can hope that it is not the
latter.

5.1 ANAND NARAYANAN / ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARSHA SIMHA

Anand Narayanan and Harsha Simha are faculty at the Indian Institute of Space
Science and Technology, where they teach astrophysics and control systems respectively.

Appendix 1

The orbital plane of the Earth around the Sun, and the Earth’s equatorial plane
projected on to the sky keep an angle of 23.5 degree with respect to each other. As a result,
the rising (and setting) of the Sun does not always happen exactly due East (and West).

34
The diagram below explains how the rising point of the Sun drifts along the Eastern horizon
over a full year.

(The drawing shows the rising positions of the Sun drifting over the course of a year from
North to South and back.)

A year is thus divided into two halves. The 6 months from December to June when
the rising point of the Sun slowly drifts from South to North is uttarayana, and the 6 months
from June to December when the Sunrise point drifts from North to South is
called dakshinayana (where ayana means journey). The setting Sun follows the same
pattern. If the sunrise happens north of east, the sunset will be north of west. On March 21
and September 22 (give or take a day), the Sun would rise exactly from East and would set
exactly into West.

35
Appendix 2

Sulbasutras are part of kalpasutras, belonging to vedangas, which are sometimes

categorized as auxiliary limbs of the main corpus of Vedas. These texts deal with the
practical aspects of vedic rituals, primarily the construction of enclosures and altars for the
rituals. The word sulba is derived from the root sulb which means “to measure”. Presently,
seven Sulbasutras have been identified. These are Baudhayana sulbasutra, Manava
sulbasutra, Apastamba sulbasutra, Katyayana sulbasutra, Maitrayana sulbasutra, Varaha
sulbasutra, and Vadhula sulbasutra. According to scholars, the oldest among these
is Baudhayana, dating back to approximately 800 BCE, with all the others written
somewhere between 800 BCE and 300 BCE. These texts thus form one of the oldest written
material on mathematics in India .

Appendix 3

Tantrasangraha is a positional astronomy treatise written by Nilakanta Somayaji,

from the illustrious lineage of guru-sishya parampara starting from Sangamagrama
Madhava. All of them lived in the Northern parts of Kerala from 14th to early part of
19th century CE. Historians collectively refer to it as the Kerala School of Mathematics and
Astronomy [6]. The chapter 3 of trantrasangraha titled छायाप्रकरणम (chaaya-
prakaranam) deals with sticks and shadows, with changing positions of the Sun [5]. The
first two verses of this chapter bears instructions on how to how to position a stick on a flat
surface, and how the shadow would move over the course of a day. The third verse
mentions the correction to the east point because of the changing declination position of
the Sun during the course of the observation of the shadows from morning to evening.

36
 In the figure (adapted from [5]) the hemisphere is the sky, and AB represents the
stick. The smaller circle is what one would draw with the stick as the center. The larger
circle is the horizon. Here W and E1 are the points that we get on the circle corresponding
to the points of intersection of the tip of the shadow with the circumference in the forenoon
and afternoon respectively. Without the fine correction mentioned in tantrasangraha, E1-
W would be identified as the east – west line. The correction is the distance OE2. The
corrected east-west direction will be E2 – W. The offset distance is given by

where Φ is the latitude of our location, and the two δ angles are the declination
positions of the Sun in the forenoon and afternoon when the shadow of the stick touches
the periphery of the circle. The same is also given in the siddhanthasiromani text written
by the 12 century CE astronomer and mathematician Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara – II).

37
 6. SIGNIFICANCE

Dedicated to Lord Padmanabhaya, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, the famous Shree

Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram is one of the most popular shrines in
India. The centuries-old Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple has been described in several
Hindu scriptures like the Brahma Purana, Matsya Purana, Varaha Purana, Skanda Purana,
Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Bhagavata Purana. The shrine is also mentioned in the
Mahabharata, according to experts.

The Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple dates back to 8th century CE, say historians.
The temple, built in the Chera style of architecture, is unique to Kerala and the
neighbouring states, as the construction was done keeping the local weather and wind
direction in mind. Temples made in the Chera style are usually square, rectangular,
octagonal or star-shaped.
38
 Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of 108 Divya Desams (holy abodes of
Vishnu) - principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism. The temple gave its
name to Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram. 'Thiru' 'Anantha' 'Puram' means 'sacred
abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha.'

The main deity in the Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is of Lord Vishnu in the
'Anantha Shayana' posture (reclined posture of eternal yoga) on Adi Shesha or king of all
serpents.The temple has been controlled by a trust run by the descendants of the Travancore
royal family since Independence.

One of the richest temples in India, the worth of gold and jewels at Shree
Padmanabhaswamy shrine, is estimated to be more than ₹ 1,00,000 crore. In 2011,
the staggering worth of gold, jewels and statues were unearthed from the temple, after
Supreme Court ordered the opening of the vaults to assess its wealth based on a Public
Interest Litigation filed by a local activist.

After decades of legal battle, the Supreme Court today, upheld the rights of the
former royal family in running the administration of the Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple,
setting aside the 2011 verdict of the Kerala High Court that directed the state government
to take control of the historic temple.

1. Religious Importance: The temple is one of the most important places of worship
for Hindus in Kerala and India. The presiding deity, Lord Padmanabha, is worshipped by
devotees for his divine powers and blessings.

2. Historical Significance: The temple is believed to have been built in the 8th century
AD and has a rich history that dates back several centuries. It was rebuilt in the 18th
century by the Travancore kings and has since become an important landmark in the city
of Thiruvananthapuram.

39
3. Architectural Marvel: The temple is renowned for its stunning architecture and
intricate carvings. The gopuram, or temple tower, is 100 feet tall and is adorned with
intricate carvings and sculptures. The temple's inner sanctum is a marvel of engineering
and architecture, with a massive granite idol of Lord Padmanabha lying on his serpent,
Anantha.

4. Treasure Trove: The temple's vaults are said to contain a vast collection of
treasures, including gold, silver, and precious stones, making it one of the richest temples
in the world. The treasure was discovered in 2011 and is estimated to be worth billions of
dollars.

Overall, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a significant religious and cultural

landmark in India, attracting devotees and tourists from all over the world.
A s an eclectic piece of architecture representing an amalgam of Kerala and
Dravidian styles, the majestic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram
has always inspired awe in generations of people from across the world.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy, the Deity of the Travancore dynasty for centuries, was
revered by successive monarchs as the sole cause for all the prosperity and good fortune
that came by their land. The etymology of this ancient city has all along been closely
associated with the Temple as the different names like Syaanandoorapuri, Aanandapuri,
Ananthapuri, Ananthasayana Nagari, Thiruvananthapuram and so on reveal.

Kerala is home to more temples than one can count. Their unique architecture
makes each of them stand out and almost each of them has a fascinating story behind it.
The Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram is one such temple. It attracts
millions of visitors every year and isn’t just one of the oldest temples in the country, finding
mention in ancient texts such as the Puranas, but also one of the richest.
Thiruvananthapuram’s Padmanabhaswamy temple is also unique because it houses the

40
crown of Travancore. Why? Read on to find out the seven most fascinating facts about the
temple.

If you’ve noticed, not all of Kerala’s temples are as tall as this one. Most of them have
sloping roofs and are often just a storey or two tall. The Padmanabhaswamy temple,
however, is heavily influenced by the Dravidian style of architecture, which is why it
resembles a lot of the temples in the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu with its tall gopuram
and high walls and intricate carvings.

Vishnu is the presiding deity of the Padmanabhaswamy temple and is also the ‘ruler’
of Travancore. He was ‘crowned’ as the Emperor of Travancore in the 18th century and
members of the royal family rule as regents on his behalf. Which is also why the royal
crown of Travancore has been preserved inside the temple.

For the longest time, the folks at Padmanabhaswamy Temple went about their
business without being aware that in its premises lay a treasure that would put all other
treasures to shame. It was in 2011 that a treasure was revealed from its cellars. The treasure

41
was valued $ 1 trillion at the time of its discovery making the Padmanabhaswamy Temple
the richest in the world. To put this into perspective, the entire Mughal treasury at the zenith
of its power could be valued at $ 90 billion.

Celebrated once every six years in January, the Laksha Deepam festival is the
biggest festival of the Padmanabhaswamy temple. The festival gets its name from the
lighting of a hundred thousand (one lakh or Laksha) lamps inside the temple and its
premises. Held on the day of Makar Sankranti, the festival marks the end of 12
Bhadradeepams, a seven-day ritual that is held twice every year. On the day images of
Padmanabha, Narasimha and Krishna are taken out on Garudavahana (Vishnu’s mythical
eagle) in a grand procession.

An image of Padmanabha or Vishnu reclining on the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha

is the center of the Padmanabhaswamy temple. With his right hand placed over a Shiva
lingam, Vishnu is flanked by Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and Bhudevi, the goddess
of Earth. Bramha is shown to emanate from Vishnu’s navel. Interestingly, the image of
Vishnu is made out of 12,000 shaligrams or fossilized shells that can be traced back to the
banks of Nepal’s Gandaki River.

The main idol of the presiding deity is awe-inspiring and unique in itself. The idol
is made of 12,008 Shaligramam stones (the aniconic form of Lord Vishnu, taken from the
banks of the Gandaki River that flows through India and Nepal). The Lord reclines on Adi
Shesha Naga with his right hand atop the Linga of Lord Shiva. Lord Brahma can be seen
appearing out of the navel of Lord Vishnu on a Lotus. The two consorts of Lord Vishnu can
be seen accompanying him on his sides. To a devotee, the idol is visible through three
doors, the first one showing Lord Vishnu with hands-on Lord Shiva, Goddess Sridevi and
Lord Brahma are visible through the second door and Goddess Bhudevi and Kaudinya
Muni through the third door.
42
 The Katusarkara Yogam, which is a special Ayurvedic mixture of Herbs is plastered
over the whole idol of Lord Padmanabha. The paste keeps the idol of the deity clean.
It is believed that the Thiruvambadi shrine dedicated to Sri Krishna Swamy situated
inside the main Temple complex predates the main shrine. The shrine is built on the site
where Sage Vilvamangalathu is believed to have been buried.
It is been established that six sealed vaults are present beneath the temple premises. The
contents of these vaults are considered highly valuable and a secret. Among them is the
valued Vault B. It remained closed to the public for centuries. However, on an order of the
Supreme Court of India, the vault was opened and treasures were discovered whose value
is estimated to be about 1 Trillion US Dollars. A small antechamber within the vault still
remains closed to the public as the doors are extremely hard to open and are carved with
figures of snakes. It is believed that opening the vault will displease the Lord and create
havoc in the region.

6.1 STRICT DRESS CODE AND RULES

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple has a strict dress code and rules that visitors must
follow in order to enter the temple premises. The dress code and rules are enforced to
maintain the sanctity and purity of the temple and to show respect to the deity and the
traditions of the temple. Here are some of the main rules and dress code requirements:

Dress Code:

The dress code for men is Dhoti with or without Angavastra. The dress codes for
women are Sarees, Dhoties or Pavadas with blouse or other coverings as appropriate to
their age. Salvar sets and other modern dresses are not allowed. Young girls below 12 years
may wear gowns. No other types of dress should not be worn or taken inside the temple.

43
 so better wear saree to avoid any confusion. Yes, there is a practice that you can rent
a dhoti from the temple entrance and wrap it around the churidaar. But it would be a
pleasant experience if visited in Saree.

Visitors must wear traditional attire, which includes dhoti or mundu for men and
sarees or salwar kameez for women. Shorts, skirts, and sleeveless tops are not allowed.

Footwear:

Shoes, sandals, and other footwear are not allowed inside the temple premises.
Visitors must remove their footwear outside the temple and enter barefoot.

44
Photography:

Photography is strictly prohibited inside the temple premises.

Cell Phones:

Visitors are not allowed to carry cell phones or any electronic devices inside the
temple.

Offerings:

Visitors can offer flowers, fruits, and other items to the deity, but non-Hindus are
not allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the temple.

45
Purity:

Visitors are not allowed to consume non-vegetarian food, alcohol, or tobacco

before entering the temple. Visitors who have recently been to a funeral or have a
contagious disease are also not allowed inside the temple.

Timings:

The temple has specific timings for darshan (viewing of the deity), and visitors must
follow these timings strictly.

Behavior:

Visitors must maintain silence and show respect for the deity and the traditions of
the temple. Shouting, running, or behaving in an inappropriate manner is not allowed.

46
Security:

The temple has a strict security system, and visitors must cooperate with the
security personnel.

It is important to note that these rules and dress code requirements are strictly enforced,
and visitors who do not follow them may be denied entry to the temple.

47
 7. TREASURE

The Padmanabhaswamy temple treasure is a collection of valuable objects

including gold thrones, crowns, coins, statues and ornaments, diamonds and other precious
stones. It was discovered in some of the subterranean vaults of the Padmanabhaswamy
Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, in the Indian state of Kerala, when five of its six (or
possibly eight) vaults were opened on 27 June 2011. The vaults were opened on the orders
of the Supreme Court of India, which was hearing a private petition seeking transparency
in the running of the temple.

The discovery of the treasure attracted widespread national and international media
attention as it is considered to be the largest collection of items of gold and precious stones
in the recorded history of the world. On the possibility of future appropriation of the
wealth, for the need of a new management and proper inventorisation of the articles in the
vaults, a public interest petition was registered with Supreme court of India. In 2020, the
royal family won the rights to manage the temple, as well all its financial aspects. The
Supreme Court of India overruled the Kerala High Court's legal jurisprudence based on

48
regional facts and recognition of nullified princely agreement based on "Ruler of
Travancore."

7.1 Vaults

The temple management authorities were aware of the existence of at least six
vaults. They were situated underground, all around, and to the west of the sanctum
sanctorum of the temple. For documentation purposes, these vaults have been designated
as vaults A, B, C, D, E and F. Subsequently, two additional subterranean vaults have been
discovered, and they have been designated as Vault G and Vault H.

❖ Vault B has not been opened since at least the 1880s. The Supreme-Court-
appointed committee-members, based on the 2014 amicus curiae and audit
reports, cited instances of irregularities and mismanagement in the affairs of
the temple. They opened the metal-grille door to Vault B and discovered a
sturdy wooden door just behind it. They opened this door as well, and
encountered a third door made of iron, which was jammed shut.

49
❖ The observers tried to force their way in but failed. So they decided to hire a
professional locksmith to open or remove the door gently. Then in mid-July,
before the locksmith came, the royal family got an injunction from the
Supreme Court against opening vault B. Apparently, this was promulgated
after a 4-day private decision-making process, based on astrology
(Ashtamangala Devaprasnam) in 2011. Finally in July 2020, the Supreme
Court refused to give permission to open the vault, as it was an issue
involving religious sentiments.

❖ As of end of 2020, Vaults G and H (both of which are long-forgotten cellars

that were found by the amicus curiae in 2014) remain closed, and have been
so for centuries.
❖ Four of the vaults, namely those designated as C, D, E, and F, are in the
custody of the temple priests. Over recent years, they have been opened at
least eight times every year, and some of the contents stored in them are

50
 routinely taken out for use on special ceremonial occasions such as temple
festivals, and are deposited back after use.
❖ Following the orders of the Supreme Court of India, a court-appointed
committee opened the vaults on 30 June 2011 and entered vault A. They
unlocked an iron grille and a heavy wooden door, then removed a granite
slab from the floor. Beneath, a few steps led to a dark room which stored the
treasure.
❖ The various items found scattered everywhere seemed to be not arranged
systematically. There were baskets, earthen pots, copper pots, all containing
valuable objects.

7.2 Invenroty

The Supreme Court of India had ordered an amicus curiae appointed by it to prepare
an inventory of the treasure. Full details of the inventory have not been revealed. However,
newspaper reports gave an indication of some of the possible contents of the vaults. About
40 groups of objects were retrieved from Vault E and Vault F.Another 1469 groups of
objects found in Vault C and 617 in Vault D.Over 1.02 lakh (102,000) groups of objects
(referred to as articles collectively) were recovered from Vault A alone.

According to news reports some of the items found include:

❖ A 4-foot (1.2 m) high and 3-foot (0.91 m) wide solid pure-

golden idol of Mahavishnu studded with diamonds and other fully precious
stones.
❖ A solid pure-golden throne, studded with hundreds of diamonds and precious
stones, meant for the 18-foot (5.5 m) idol of the deity.
❖ Ceremonial attire for adorning the deity in the form of 16-part
gold anki weighing almost 30 kilograms (66 lb).
❖ An 18-foot (5.5 m) long pure-gold chain among thousands of pure-gold
chains.

51
 ❖ A pure-gold sheaf weighing 500 kilograms (1,100 lb).

❖ A 36-kilogram (79 lb) golden veil.

❖ 1200 'Sarappalli' pure-gold coin-chains encrusted with precious stones
weighing between 3.5 kg and 10.5 kg.
❖ Several sacks filled with golden artifacts, necklaces, diadems, diamonds,
rubies, sapphires, emeralds, gemstones, and objects made of other precious
metals.
❖ Gold coconut shells studded with rubies and emeralds.
❖ Several 18th-century Napoleonic-era coins.
❖ Hundreds of thousands of gold coins of the Roman Empire.
❖ An 800-kilogram (1,800 lb) hoard of gold coins dating to the medieval
period.

According to varying reports, at least three if not many more, solid gold crowns all
studded with diamonds and other precious stones and pots of gold. While the above list is
on the basis of news reports describing the July 2011 opening (and later) of Vaults A, C,
D, E and F, a 1930s report from The Hindu mentions a granary-sized structure (within
52
either Vault C or Vault D or Vault E or Vault F) almost filled with mostly gold and some
silver coins.

7.3 Source of Wealth

The valuables have been accumulated in the temple over several thousands of years,
having been donated to the Deity, and subsequently stored in the Temple, by various
Dynasties, such as the Cheras, the Pandyas, the Travancore royal family, the Kolathiris,
the Pallavas, the Cholas, and many other Kings in the recorded history of both South India
and beyond Most scholars believe that this was accumulated over thousands of years, given
the mention of the Deity and the Temple in several extant Hindu Texts, the Sangam

sliterature (500 BC to 300 AD wherein it was referred to as the "Golden Temple" on

account of its then unimaginable wealth), and the treasures consist of countless artifacts
dating back to the Chera, Pandya, and Greek and Roman epochs.

53
 The ancient epic Silappatikaram (circa 100 AD to 300 AD) speaks of the then
Chera King Cenkuttuvan receiving gifts of gold and precious stones from a certain 'Golden
Temple' (Arituyil-Amardon) which is believed to be the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Gold had been mined as well as panned from rivers in Thiruvananthapuram,

Kannur, Wayanad, Kollam, Palakkad and Malappuram districts for thousands of years. The
Malabar region had several centers of trade and commerce since the Sumerian Period
ranging from Vizhinjam in the South to Mangalore in the North. Also, at times like the
invasion by Mysore, the other royal families like the Kolathiris (a branch of the
Thiruvithamkur Royal Family - both originating in the Thiruvananthapuram area) in the
then Kerala and the Far-South took refuge in Thiruvananthapuram, and stored their temple-
wealth there for safekeeping in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Also, much of the

treasures housed in the much larger and as-yet-unopened vaults, as well as in the much
smaller cellars that have been opened, date back to long before the institution of the so-
called Travancore Kingdom, e.g. the 800-kg hoard of gold coins from 200 B.C that was
mentioned by Vinod Rai. Noted archaeologist and historian R. Nagaswamy has also stated
that several records exist in Kerala, of offerings made to the Deity, from several parts of

54
Kerala.[10] During the reign of Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi, hundreds of temples were
brought under the Government. The ornaments in these temples were also transferred to
the Vaults of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Instead the funds of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple were utilised for the daily
upkeep of these temples. From 1766 until 1792, Travancore also provided refuge to around
a dozen other Hindu rulers who had fled their own princely states along the Malabar Coast,
due to fears of possible military defeat by Kingdom of Mysore. They came with whatever
valuables they had in their temples and donated them to Lord Padmanabha. Many of these
rulers, and their extended family members, also left their wealth with Lord Padmanabha,
when they finally returned home following Tipu Sultan's military defeat by British forces,
in 1792.

There are over 3000 surviving bundles of 'Cadjan' leaves (records) in Archaic
Malayalam and Tamil, each bundle consisting of a hundred-thousand leaves, which relate

55
to donations of gold and precious stones made exclusively to the temple over the millennia.
Most of these are yet to have been studied and very few have even been glanced at yet. As
these pertain exclusively to the donations made over millennia they would throw a lot of
light on the story of the treasure. Lastly, it has to be remembered that in the period of the
Travancore Kingdom, a distinction was always made between the Government (or State)
Treasury (Karuvoolam) and the Royal Treasury (Chellam) and the Temple Treasury
(Thiruvara Bhandaram or Sri Bhandaram).

The ownership and management of the treasure is a matter of controversy and has
been the subject of legal disputes. The temple is managed by a trust known as the
Travancore Royal Family, which claims that the treasure belongs to the deity and that it
has the right to manage it.

However, some argue that the treasure should be considered as the property of the
state, and that it should be taken over by the government. The matter has been debated in
the courts, and in 2014, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the treasure belonged to the
deity and that it should remain in the temple's custody.

The management of the treasure is overseen by a committee appointed by the

Supreme Court, which includes members of the Travancore Royal Family, as well as
representatives of the state government and the temple's priests. The committee is
responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the treasure, as well as its proper
conservation and maintenance.

56
 8. TEMPLE RITUALS

8.1 Festivals and rites

Narasimha Swamy and Padmanabha Swamy after coming from Shankumugham

Beach during Aarat Festival

There are many festivals associated with this temple. The major festivals are bi-
annual. The Aipasi festival and the Panguni festival in the Tamil month
of aipasi (October/November) and Panguni (March/April) respectively, lasts for 10 days
each. On the ninth day the Maharajah of the Travancore, in his capacity as Thrippappoor
Mooppan, escorts the deities to the vettakkalam for Pallivetta. Centuries back, the Pallivetta
procession was said to pass through Kaithamukku, Kuthiravattom
(Kunnumpuram), Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram and Putharikkandam. The festivals culminate
with the Aarat (holy bath) procession to the Shankumugham Beach. The word Aarat refers
57
to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in sea. This event takes place in
the evening.

The Maharajah of Travancore escorts the Aarat procession on foot. The festival
idols "Utsava Vigrahas" of Padmanabhaswamy, Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami
are given a ritual bath in the sea, after the prescribed pujas. After this ceremony, the idols
are taken back to the temple in a procession that is lit by traditional torches, marking the
conclusion of the festival.

A major annual festival related to Padmanabhaswamy temple is

the Navaratri festival. The idols of Saraswati Amman, Mun Uditha Nangai (Parasakti,
who appeared before Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati to help them identify their husbands
who had been transformed into infants by the power of chastity of Anasuya) and Kumara
Swami (Murugan) are brought from the Padmanabhapuram Palace, Suchindram,
and Kumarakovil respectively to the Kuthira malika palace in front of Padmanabhaswamy
temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days.

58
 The famous Swathi Sangeethotsavam music festival is held every year during this
festival in the Navratri mandapam and in some other surrounding temples. The festival
was named in honour of the Maharajah of Travancore, Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma and
is organized by his descendant in the Royal Family, Prince Rama Varma. On the ninth day
the Maharajah of the Travancore, in his capacity as Thrippappoor Mooppan, escorts the
deities to the vettakkalam for Pallivetta. Centuries back, the Pallivetta procession was said
to pass through Kaithamukku, Kuthiravattom (Kunnumpuram), Pazhaya
Sreekanteswaram and Putharikkandam

Big idol of Pandava displayed during Panguni 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 (Murajapam).
On the last day, hundred thousand oil lamps are lit in and around the temple premises.

59
8.2 Priests

Temples where 'Swamiyar Pushpanjali' is conducted are claimants to extra sanctity.

Sannyasins from Naduvil Madhom and Munchira Madhom do Pushpanjali (flower
worship) daily to Padmanabha, Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami. Tharananallur
Nambuthiripads of Iranjalakkuda are the Tantris of the Temple. The Nambies, altogether
four in number, are the Chief Priests of the Temple. Two Nambies – Periya Nambi and
Panchagavyathu Nambi – are allotted to Padmanabha and one Nambi each to Narasimha
Moorthi and Krishna Swami. The Nambies hail from either side of the Chandragiri River.

8.3 Temple entry

In line with the Temple Entry Proclamation, only those who profess the Hindu faith
are permitted entry to the temple and devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. Men
wear "vesti" with "angavastram" (the South Indian version of dhoti and shawl both of
which are plain white in color) and women wear sari.

The temple has a corridor with 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars
with elaborate carvings which stands out to be an ultimate testimonial for
the Vishwakarma sthapathis in sculpting this architectural masterpiece. This corridor
extends from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum. An 80-foot (24 m) flagstaff
stands in front of the main entry from the prakaram(closed precincts of a temple). The
ground floor under the gopuram (main entrance in the eastern side) is known as the 'Nataka
Sala'.

60
 9. TEMPLE MANAGEMENT

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple and its property were controlled by the Ettara
Yogam (King and Council of Eight) with the assistance of Ettuveetil Pillamar ("Lords of
the Eight Houses"). The Ettara Yogam consists of Pushpanjali Swamiyar, six member
Thiruvananthapurathu Sabha, Sabhanjithan (Secretary) and Arachan (Maharaja of
Travancore). Thiruvananthapurathu Sabha was primarily responsible for the administration
of the Temple. Koopakkara Potti, Vanchiyoor Athiyara Potti, Kollur Athiyara Potti,
Muttavila Potti, Karuva Potti and Neythasseri Potti are the members of the Sabha. The
Pushpanjali Swamiyar presides over the meetings of the Sabha. Sreekaryathu Potti is the
Sabhanjithan of the Sabha.[26] Any decision taken by the Sabha can be implemented only
if the Maharaja of Travancore approves of it.[27] It is believed that eight members of Ettara
Yogam (seven Potties and the Maharaja of Travancore) received their rights from Lord
Parashurama Himself.

61
 In the past, only the Swamiyars of the Naduvil Madhom were appointed as
Pushpanjali Swamiyars by the Maharaja of Travancore. Anizham Thirunal Marthanda
Varma curtailed the authority of Ettara Yogam and liquidated the powerful Ettuveetil
Pillamar. Ettara Yogam became an advisory and assenting body thereafter. Besides the
Naduvil Madhom, the Munchira Madhom got the right to appoint Pushpanjali Swamiyars
during his reign. In the recent past, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma gave Pushpanjali
rights to the Swamiyars of Thrikkaikattu Madhom and Thekke Madhom as well. Though
the Maharaja is the appointing authority of the Pushpanjali Swamiyar, the former must do
a Vechu Namaskaram when he sees the Swamiyar.

With the passing away of Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma in December 2013,
his nephew Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma became the titular Maharaja of Travancore in
January 2014. Like his predecessors, Moolam Thirunal also got concurrence from the
Ettara Yogam before assuming the title 'Maharaja'. In the presence of the Maharaja
designate, the Yogathil Pottimar and the Tantri, the Pushpanjali Swamiyar Maravanchery
Thekkedathu Neelakanta Bharatikal signed on the Neettu (Order) of the Ettara Yogam

accepting Moolam Thirunal as Chirava Mootha Thiruvadi (Maharaja of Travancore)

and Thrippappoor Mootha Thiruvadi (Protector of the Temple). This ceremony took place
at Kulasekhara Mandapam in Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

62
 10. TEMPLE ASSESTS

The temple and its assets belong to Lord Padmanabhaswamy and were for a long
time controlled by a trust which was headed by the Travancore royal family. However, at
present (since July 2020), the Supreme Court of India has divested the Travancore royal
family from leading the management of the temple. T P Sundararajan's litigations changed
the way the world looked at the Temple.

In June 2011, the Supreme Court of India directed the authorities from the
archaeology department and the fire services to open the secret chambers of the temple for
inspection of the items kept inside.[33] The temple has six hitherto known vaults (nilavaras),
labelled as A to F, for bookkeeping purpose by the Court. (Since, however, an Amicus
Curie Report by Justice Gopal Subramaniam, in April 2014, has reportedly found two more
further subterranean vaults that have been named G and H.) While vault B has been
unopened over centuries, A was possibly opened in the 1930s, and vaults C to F have been
opened from time to time over recent years. The two priests of the temple, the 'Periya
Nambi' and the 'Thekkedathu Nambi', are the custodians of the four vaults, C to F, which
are opened periodically.
63
 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, while
Vaults A and B would be opened only for the purpose of making an inventory of the articles
and then closed. The review of the temple's underground vaults was undertaken by a seven-
member panel appointed by the Supreme Court to generate an inventory, leading to the
enumeration of a vast collection of articles that are traditionally kept under lock and key.
A detailed inventory of the temple assets, consisting of gold, jewels, and other valuables is
yet to be made.

While vault B remains unopened, vaults A, C, D, E, and F were opened along with
some of their antechambers. Among the reported findings, are a three-and-a-half feet tall
solid pure golden idol of Mahavishnu, studded with hundreds of diamonds and rubies and
other precious stones.[34] Also found were an 18-foot-long pure gold chain, a gold sheaf
weighing 500 kg (1,100 lb), a 36 kg (79 lb) golden veil, 1200 'Sarappalli' gold coin-chains
that are encrusted with precious stones, and several sacks filled with golden artefacts,
necklaces, diadems, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, gemstones, and objects made
of other precious metals. Ceremonial attire for adorning the deity in the form of 16-part
gold anki weighing almost 30 kilograms (66 lb), gold "coconut shells" studded with rubies
and emeralds, and several 18th century Napoleonic era coins were found amongst many
other objects. In early 2012, an expert committee had been appointed to investigate these
objects, which include lakhs of golden coins of the Roman Empire, that were found in
Kottayam, in Kannur District. According to Vinod Rai, the former Comptroller-and-
Auditor-General (CAG) of India, who had audited some of the Temple records from 1990,
in August 2014, in the already opened vault A, there is an 800 kg (1,800 lb) hoard of gold
coins dating to around 200 BCE, each coin priced at over ₹2.7 crore (US$340,000). Also
found was a pure golden throne, studded with hundreds of diamonds and other precious
stones, meant for the 18-foot-long deity. As per one of the men, who was among those that

64
went inside this Vault A, several of the largest diamonds were as large as a full-grown
man's thumb. According to varying reports, at least three, if not more, of solid gold crowns
have been found, studded with diamonds and other precious stones. Some other media
reports also mention hundreds of pure gold chairs, thousands of gold pots and jars, among
the articles recovered from Vault A and its antechambers.

This revelation has solidified the status of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple as the
wealthiest place of worship in the world. If the antique and cultural value were taken into
account these assets could be worth ten times the current market price.

As a reference, the entire GDP (revenues in all forms) of the Mughal Empire at its
very zenith under Aurangzeb (in 1690), was a comparatively meagre US$90 billion in
modern-day terms. In fact, at its richest, the Mughal "treasury" (in Akbar's and Jahangir's
and Shah Jahan's periods) consisted of seven tonnes of gold, along with eighty pounds of
uncut diamonds, a hundred pounds each of rubies and emeralds and six hundred pounds of
pearls.

65
 Even with only the five smaller of the reported eight vaults being opened (the larger
three vaults and all their ante-chambers still remaining closed), the treasure found so far, is
considered to be by far the largest collection of items of gold and fully precious stones in
the recorded history of the world.

The valuables are believed to have been accumulated in the temple over several
thousand years, having been donated to the deity (and subsequently stored there), by
various dynasties like the Cheras, the Pandyas, the Travancore Royal Family,
the Kolathiris, the Pallavas, the Cholas and many other kings in the recorded history of
both South India and beyond, and from the rulers and traders
of Mesopotamia, Jerusalem, Greece, Rome, and later, the various colonial powers
from Europe, and other countries as well. Some people have suggested that a part of the
stored riches reached the Travancore kings in the later years in the form of tax as well as
conquered wealth of other South Indian kingdoms.

Most scholars however believe that this was accumulated over thousands of years,
given the mention of the Deity and the Temple in several extant Hindu Texts, the Sangam
Tamil literature (500 BC to 300 AD wherein it was referred to as the "Golden Temple" on
account of its then unimaginable wealth), and the treasures consist of countless artefacts
dating back to the Chera, Pandya, Greek, and Roman epochs. The ancient late-Tamil-
Sangam epic Silappatikaram (c 100 AD to 300 AD at the latest) speaks of the then Chera
King Cenkuttuvan receiving gifts of gold and precious stones from a certain 'Golden
Temple' (Arituyil-Amardon) which is believed to be the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Gold
had been panned from rivers as well as mined in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Wayanad, Kollam, Palakkad and Malappuram districts for

66
thousands of years. The Malabar region (as a part of the "Tamilakam" region of recorded
history) had several centers of trade and commerce since the Sumerian period ranging

from Vizhinjam in the south to Mangalore in the north. Also, at times like the invasion
by Mysore in the late 1700s, the other related royal families (of the Travancore Royal
Family) in Kerala and the far south, like the Kolathiris, took refuge in Thiruvananthapuram
and stored their temple-wealth for safekeeping in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Also, much of the treasures housed in the much larger and as-yet-unopened vaults,
as well as in the much smaller cellars that have been opened, date back to long before the
institution of the so-called Travancore Kingdom, e.g. the 800 kg (1,800 lb) hoard of gold
coins from 200 B.C that was mentioned by Vinod Rai. Noted archaeologist and historian R.
Nagaswamy has also stated that several records exist in Kerala, of offerings made to the
Deity, from several parts of Kerala. Lastly, it has to be remembered that in the Travancore
Kingdom, a distinction was always made between the Government (State) Treasury
(Karuvelam), the Royal Family Treasury (Chellam), and the Temple Treasury (Thiruvara
Bhandaram or Sri Bhandaram). During the reign of Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi,

67
hundreds of temples that were mismanaged in the Kerala region, were brought under the
Government. The excess ornaments in these temples were also transferred to the Vaults of
the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Instead the funds of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple were
utilised for the daily upkeep of these temples.

On 4 July 2011, the seven-member expert team tasked with taking stock of the
temple assets decided to postpone opening of chamber B. This chamber is sealed with an
iron door, with the image of a cobra on it, and has not been opened due to the belief that
opening it would result in much misfortune. The royal family has also said that opening
chamber B could be a bad omen. The seven-member team will consult with some more
experts on 8 July 2011, and may make a final decision on opening chamber B. An
Ashtamangala Devaprasnam conducted in the Temple to discern the will of the Lord

revealed that any attempts to open chamber B would cause divine displeasure, and that the
holy articles in the other chambers were defiled in the inventorying process. The original
petitioner (T. P. Sundarajan), whose court action led to the inventory, died in July 2011,
adding credence to the folklore around the temple. Prior to this now-famous incident in
July 2011, one of the several vaults in the temple which was not vaults B (untouched after
the 1880s), G, or H (both rediscovered supposedly by the Amicus Curie only in mid-2014),

68
was opened in 1931. This was possibly an antechamber of vaults A, C, D, E, or F that may
not have been opened yet. This was necessitated due to the severe economic depression
that India was going through.

The Palace and State Treasuries had run almost dry. The small group of people,
including the king and the priests, found a granary-sized structure almost full with mostly
gold and some silver coins and jewels. Surmounted on top of it were hundreds of pure gold
pots. There were four coffers filled with gold coins as well. Also found was a larger chest
fixed to the ground with six sections in it. They were full of gold jewelry encrusted with
diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Besides these, there were four more chests of
old coins (not of gold), and they were carried back to the Palace and state treasuries for
counting.

10.1 Vault (Nilavara) B ("The Forbidden Zone")

The Bhagavata Purana says that Balarama visited Phalgunam (more commonly
known as Thiruvananthapuram), took bath in Panchapsaras (Padmateertham) and made a
gift of ten thousand cows to holy men. Though the sannidhyam of Lord Padmanabha has
always been present in the holy land of Thiruvananthapuram, and it was a very ancient and
renowned pilgrim spot even during the time of Balarama, the present-day temple for the
deity came up later. The southwest part of the Chuttambalam was constructed at the holy
spot where Lord Balarama is believed to have donated cows to holy men. This portion
came to be known as Mahabharatakonam and covered the ground underneath which both
Kallara B and Kallara A were situated.

According to a popular legend, many devas and sages devoted to Lord Balarama
visited him on the banks of Padmateertham. They requested him that they may be permitted

69
to reside there worshipping the lord. Balarama granted them their wish. It is believed that
these devas and sages reside in Kallara B worshipping the Lord. Naga Devathas devoted
to the lord also dwell in this Kallara. Kanjirottu Yakshi, whose enchanting and ferocious
forms are painted on the south-west part of the main Sanctum, resides in this Kallara
worshipping Lord Narasimha. Holy objects like Sreechakram were installed beneath this
Kallara to enhance the potency of the Principal Deity. Lord Ugra Narasimha of Thekkedom
is said to be the Protector of Kallara B. There is a serpent's image on Kallara B indicating
danger to anyone who opens it. A four-day Ashtamangala Devaprasnam conducted in
August 2011 declared Kallara B as "forbidden zone".

One of the oldest existing estimates regarding only Vault B, which can be
considered to be at least as reliable as any other made since the discovery of the hidden
treasure (or assets) of the Temple in 2011, was by the Travancore Royal Family itself in
the 1880s (when an older existing inventory and estimate were last updated). According to
it, the gold and precious stones contained in Vault B, which is by far the largest and the
only vault (of the reported six) that is unopened so far, since the discovery of the treasure,
was worth INR 12,000 Crores in the then (1880s') terms. Considering the subsequent
inflation of the rupee and the increase in the prices of gold and precious stones since in
general, the treasure in the unopened vault B alone would be worth at least US$ One
Trillion in July 2011 terms, without the cultural value being factored in. The price of gold
in the 1880s, when the inventory and estimate were last updated, was INR 1.8 per gram
(The price of gold was about US$18 for an ounce in the 1880s when the dollar was 3.3 to
the rupee). In fact, going by these figures, the gold in Vault B could potentially run into
many more trillions of dollars even before the cultural or historical value is factored in.

It is highly unlikely that Kallara B was opened after the 1880s. An article by Emily
Gilchrist, a visiting Englishwoman in the 1933, recalls in her book 'Travancore: A Guide
Book for the Visitor' (Oxford University Press, 1933) about an unsuccessful attempt to
70
open one Kallara in 1908: "About 25 years ago, when the State needed additional money,
it was thought expedient to open these chests and use the wealth they contained. A group
of people" got together and attempted to enter the vaults with torches. When they found
the vaults "infested with cobras" they "fled for their lives.

In 2011, the antechamber to Kallara B was opened by the Observers appointed by

the Supreme Court of India. But the Observers could not open Kallara B. However, Gopal
Subramanium in his report submitted to the Supreme Court in April 2014, recommended
its opening after conducting another Devaprasnam. The two Pushpanjali Swamiyars are
the highest spiritual dignitaries of Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The Pushpanjali Swamiyar
of Naduvil Madhom sent letters to the Chairperson of the Administrative Committee and
the Executive Officer on 8 February 2016 expressing his strong opposition to the opening
of Kallara B. The Pushpanjali Swamiyar of Munchira Madhom led a Ratha Yathra from
Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in May 2018 campaigning against opening the sacred
Kallara. Azhvanchery Thamprakkal, the supreme spiritual leader of Kerala Brahmins,
while addressing a meeting held in connection with the Ratha Yathra, also demanded that
faith should not be trampled upon by opening Kallara B.

71
 According to a report by former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod
Rai, at least the outer door to Kallara B has been opened a number of times in recent
decades - twice in 1991 and five times in 2002. Once Vinod Rai's report was out,
Princess Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi clarified that Mr Rai was referring to the
antechamber to Kallara B, which was opened even in 2011 by the Supreme Court-
appointed observers.

72
 11. CONTROVERSIES

The Kerala High Court ruled in 2011 that the state government should take over the
control of the temple and its assets, but the Travancore royal family appealed to the
Supreme Court. An independent report was commissioned, and was completed in
November 2012, finding no evidence that the royal family were expropriating the treasures.

As of April 2016, vaults B, G, and H along with their several ante-chambers were
yet to be opened; while inventorying of the items in vaults C, D, E, and F were completed
(in August 2012) and formal inventorying of vault A had commenced. Several hundred
pots and other items made of gold, that are used for daily rituals or intermittently for
ceremonies in the Temple, were not inventoried as the Temple-priests expressed strong
objections. Over 1.02 lakh "articles" had been retrieved from Vault A and its ante-
chambers, until that point, though only a small part of them had been inventoried then.

73
 An "article" could be either an individual item, or collections of several items,
examples of the latter being a cache of 1.95 lakh 'Rassappanams' (Gold coins) weighing
800 kg and sets of Navaratnas (collections of nine different kinds of diamonds). There are
over 60,000 fully precious stones set as parts of larger pieces of gold jewellery among those
items inventoried as of March 2013. The results of the inventory are not to be released until
the completion of the whole process by order of the Supreme Court of India.

In April 2014, Amicus Curiae advocate Gopal Subramaniam filed a 577-page report
to the Supreme court of India alleging malpractices in the administration of the temple.
According to him, the authorities failed to perform their ethical duties by opening many
bank accounts, trusts and also not filing Income Tax returns for the past ten years. He
alleged that Vault B was opened despite a previous ruling of the Supreme court prohibiting
the same.

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 The report states – "The large amount of gold and silver, the discovery of which was
a shock to the Amicus Curiae, is a singular instance of mismanagement. The presence of a
gold plating machine is also yet another unexplained circumstance. This discovery raises a
doubt of the organized extraction by persons belonging to the highest echelons. There
appears to be resistance on the part of the entire State apparatus in effectively addressing
the said issues.

The lack of adequate investigation by the police is a telling sign that although
Thiruvananthapuram is a city in the State of Kerala, parallelism based on monarchic rule
appears to predominate the social psyche. The Supreme court bench comprising justice R.
M. Lodha and justice A. K. Patnaik ordered a change in administration by forming a 5-
member committee and appointing Vinod Rai as auditor.

The committee will include Thiruvananthapuram District judge K. P.

Indira, Thantri and Nambi of the temple and two members to be decided in consultation
with the Government of Kerala. Additionally, IAS officer and former administrator of the
temple, K. N. Satish was appointed as executive officer.

The Government of Kerala agreed to comply with the Supreme court order. Moolam
Thirunal Rama Varma remains the trustee of the temple and still does the ritual duties as
the titular Maharaja of Travancore, but has no responsibility regarding the temple
management after the interim ruling by the Supreme Court. The report also found the
existence of two more vaults that were never even made mention of or hitherto spoken
about.

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 The report named them Vault 'G' and Vault 'H'. Like Vault 'B' and all its
antechambers, both these vaults and their antechambers were yet to be opened as of May
2014. The report also mentions that Mr. Subramanian found several large trunks filled with
artefacts made of precious metals and precious stones outside of the eight vaults and their
antechambers.

The CBI and the Intelligence Bureau have red-flagged the appointment of Gopal
Subramaniam as a Judge in the Supreme Court. The IB cites Mr Subramaniam's report on
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple as one of the instances where he relied heavily on his
spiritual instincts rather than rational logic and hard facts. In his second report on Sree
Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Mr Subramaniam himself reveals,"It was his morning ritual
of [shutting] his mind and seeking guidance, which resulted in discoveries in this
direction."

The Amicus Curiae has also been accused of conducting poojas in the Temple in
violation of its customs. He performed poojas at the Thevarappura in the Temple and in
front of the Vedavyasa Shrine. Despite opposition from the Royal Family and the Tantries
of the Temple, he pulled out a stone Yantra from the nearby Marthandan Madhom Palace
and did pooja on it for several days. The Tantries explained that the Yantram had no

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connection with the Padmanabhaswami Temple and that it was for the protection of the
Palace.

But the Amicus Curiae insisted on having it installed in the Sanctum Sanctorum of
the Temple. Due to severe opposition from the Tantries the Yantram remains where it was.
Every morning, Lord Padmanabha is to be awakened only by blowing the conch shell and
chanting the Sripada Sooktham.

But the Amicus Curiae introduced the daily rendering of Venkatesa Suprabhatam to
awaken the Lord. The Supreme Court requested the Tantri to take the final decision on
whether the Suprabhatam could be sung. Following that, the Senior Tantri Nedumpilli
Tharananalloor Parameswaran Namboothiripad directed the Temple authorities to stop the
chanting of Suprabhatam forthwith, as it was causing 'Anya Mantra Yajana Dosham'
(affliction due to worshipping the Deity with incompatible mantras) to the Presiding Deity
and the Temple. As atonement for this dosham, the Tantri wants Vedic scholars to chant
12 'muras' each of Rig Veda and Yajur Veda. In his first report to the Supreme Court, the

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Amicus Curiae directed the Tantries to examine whether a Sri Yantra can be installed in
the Sanctum Sanctorum, in front of the utsava moorthi.

On 13 July 2020, overturning the January 2011 judgment of the Kerala high court,
the Supreme Court of India ruled that the Padmanabhaswamy Temple administration and
control would be done by the erstwhile Travancore royal family.

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 12. CULTURAL

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a significant cultural and religious landmark in

India, known for its unique architecture, rich history, and deep-rooted traditions.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism,
and is believed to have been constructed in the 8th century AD. The temple's architecture
is a blend of Dravidian and Kerala styles, characterized by its intricate carvings, gopurams
(tower gateways), and mandapas (pillared halls).

The temple has a rich tradition of music and dance, with regular performances of
classical Indian music and dance forms such as Carnatic music, Kathakali, and
Mohiniyattam. The temple is also famous for its annual festivals, including the Navaratri
festival and the Alpashi festival, which attract thousands of devotees from across the
country.

One of the most unique aspects of the temple is its strict dress code, which requires
visitors to wear traditional attire, including dhoti for men and saree for women. This
reflects the temple's commitment to preserving traditional Indian culture and values.

The temple is also known for its strict adherence to certain customs and rituals,
including daily poojas (worship services) and the offering of prasadam (sacred food) to the
deity. The temple's priests are highly respected and play an important role in maintaining
the temple's religious and cultural traditions.

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 Overall, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a symbol of India's rich cultural heritage
and religious traditions, attracting visitors from around the world who come to experience
its unique atmosphere and to pay their respects to the deity.

CONCLUSION

From the ancient period the temple attracts devotees, in and around Kerala with its
majestic architectural beauty and its divinity power. The festivals performed in Sree
Padmanabhaswamy temple were the main attraction from its ancient times. The city of
Thiruvananthapuram developed under its influence. The rulers of Travancore considered
this temple and it‟s deity as their family god so they protected and patronized this temple.
Along with them the people also believed the deity as their ruler. Padmanabhaswamy
temple is nowadays in the limelight due to its enormous wealth, and so the temple is centre
of attraction of Hindu religious tourism. In the past devotees of high caste were only
allowed to visit the temple but the royal proclamation of temple entry in 1936 by the
Travancore ruler Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma paved way for all Hindus
irrespective of their caste to enter in to the temple. The income from the associated
industries related with this temple became the source of livelihood of many people. The
temple became the backbone of religious tourism in Kerala.

NOTES AND REFERANCES

▪ Navarathri is a festival celebrated in different parts of India; it is the festival of nine

nights and ten days during which the nine forms of Devi or goddess are worshipped.
▪ Kumbhamela is a mass Hindu festival of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a
sacred or holy river.
▪ The idea which consider guest as god .
▪ Shin Yasuda, Razaq Raj and Kevin Griffin, Religious Tourism in Asia Tradition and
Change through Case Studies and Narratives, CPI Group, UK, 2018, p.74.

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▪ The News Minute ,Dated on 05/01/2015
▪ Sunita Pant Bansal, Hindu Pilgrimage, New Delhi 2011,p.98.
▪ Samuel Mateer, The Land of Charity: The Descriptive Account of Travancore and
Its People, London, 1883, p.164.
▪ IBID
▪ Velupillai, The Travancore State Manual. vol II,p.337
▪ IBID
▪ IBID
▪ The worship of the lamps in Padmanabhaswamy temple .
▪ The word Aarat refers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in
sea.
▪ https://www.keralatourism.org/video-gallery/padmanabhaswamy-temple-
arattu/152, December 22, 2018).

▪ Uma Maheswari,H.H.Uthradam Tirunal Marthanda Varma, Travancore the

Footprints of Destiny, Konark publication, 2009, p.44-46.

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