Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple (ശ്രീ പദ്മനാഭസ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രം) is a Divya Desam in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Overview
The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram is one of the 108 Divya Desams, dedicated to Vishnu as Padmanabha (the lotus-naveled one). The temple is famous for its vast underground treasure vaults, making it the wealthiest temple in India.
History and Legend
References to the deity appear in the Puranas and in the Travancore royal chronicles. The Travancore royal family served as the temple’s custodians for centuries, and their famous declaration “Mere Padmanabha dasa” (servants of Padmanabha) became a political slogan. The current temple structure was renovated in the 18th century by Marthanda Varma.
Architecture and Features
The temple combines Kerala and Dravidian architectural styles with a towering gopuram. The sanctum houses a massive reclining Vishnu image made of 12,008 salagrama stones, showing the deity in three postures. The temple’s treasure vaults, opened in 2011, contained gold, jewels, and artifacts worth billions of dollars.
Modern Status
The temple is controlled by the Travancore royal family; a Supreme Court verdict in 2020 upheld the royal family’s right to manage the temple, and the treasure remains under its custody with committee oversight. It remains one of Kerala’s most important and wealthiest temples.
Verification Notes
- One of the 108 Divya Desams; treasure vault contents documented by Supreme Court-appointed committee.
- Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).