Padmanabhaswamy Temple One of the richest temples in the world, holding valuables estimated to be worth about $22 billion, is the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala, India. (more) Padmanabhaswamy Temple Hindu temple, Thiruvananthapuram, India Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Charles Preston Charles Preston is Associate Editor for Religion at Encyclopædia Britannica. Charles Preston Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Nov 25, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the Padmanabhaswamy Temple known for? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is known for its extraordinary wealth, including treasures estimated to be worth $22 billion, and its dedication to the Hindu god Vishnu." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who rebuilt the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the 18th century? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Martanda Varma, king of Travancore, reconstructed the temple in the 18th century and donated the kingdom to the deity in 1750." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What image of Vishnu is worshipped at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Vishnu appears in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple lying on the five-headed serpent Shesha with the god Brahma seated on a lotus emerging from Vishnuu2019s navel. Vishnu is surrounded by his wives Sri (Lakshmi) and Bhudevi and holds his hand over a lingam representing the god Shiva. The main murti image is covered with 12,008 shaligrams imported from Nepal." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was discovered in the templeu2019s vaults in 2011? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In 2011 investigators discovered treasures, including precious gems, gold figurines, and coins from various historical periods, estimated to be worth $22 billion." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the outcome of the 2020 Supreme Court ruling regarding the templeu2019s administration? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Indian Supreme Court returned administration of the temple to the Travancore royal family, overturning the Kerala High Courtu2019s 2011 ruling that had removed the royal family from temple management." } } ] } Top Questions What is the Padmanabhaswamy Temple known for? The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is known for its extraordinary wealth, including treasures estimated to be worth $22 billion, and its dedication to the Hindu god Vishnu.

　　Who rebuilt the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the 18th century? Martanda Varma, king of Travancore, reconstructed the temple in the 18th century and donated the kingdom to the deity in 1750.

　　What image of Vishnu is worshipped at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple? Vishnu appears in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple lying on the five-headed serpent Shesha with the god Brahma seated on a lotus emerging from Vishnu’s navel. Vishnu is surrounded by his wives Sri (Lakshmi) and Bhudevi and holds his hand over a lingam representing the god Shiva. The main murti image is covered with 12,008 shaligrams imported from Nepal.

　　What was discovered in the temple’s vaults in 2011? In 2011 investigators discovered treasures, including precious gems, gold figurines, and coins from various historical periods, estimated to be worth $22 billion.

　　What was the outcome of the 2020 Supreme Court ruling regarding the temple’s administration? The Indian Supreme Court returned administration of the temple to the Travancore royal family, overturning the Kerala High Court’s 2011 ruling that had removed the royal family from temple management.

　　Padmanabhaswamy Temple, extraordinarily wealthy Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu and located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. The earliest recorded mention of the temple is from the 8th or 9th century ce, although the temple is likely older. The temple was built and rebuilt over the centuries, most recently by Martanda Varma, king of Travancore, who in 1750 donated the kingdom to the deity. In 2011 the temple was the subject of international news when an exploration of its vaults revealed a wealth of jewels, precious metals, and other treasures estimated to ...(100 of 1901 words)

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