The Ancient secrets of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

In a world that’s been around for thousands of years, with countless people that have come and departed, it’s naïve to think that there aren’t things that those people left behind. Our ancestors have passed down to the next generation as much information as they can but what about those ancient knowledge that have been lost through time?Is it our duty as modern inhabitants of the world to uncover those secrets?Or did they get buried under the sand of time for a reason? We may never know the answer, but it’s important to remember that knowledge is a powerful tool and can be used for both good and ill. Maybe it's best to leave the secrets of the past buried.

Perhaps one of those ancient secrets is Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple. This temple is as ancient as the religion practiced in it, Hinduism. Located in Kerala, India, this temple is the richest in the world. One look at the striking structure gives the prestige away, for the entire structure is covered in gold.This ancient temple is beautifully built and a prime example of Keralan and Dravidian architecture. These styles are popular among Hindu temples especially in Kerala.However, the Padmanabhaswamy temple has something about it that makes it stand out among the rest. It's not the golden exterior but something else, something far more mysterious. It is said that underneath this ancient Hindu temple may be one of the greatest treasures known to man. It is believed that the temple holds unfathomable riches that could be worth billions of dollars. While much of the wealth has been discovered, some areas of the temple remains unexplored due to ancient curses. Experts believe that the temple could still be hiding more secrets and treasures.

The Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple’s history dates back to 500 B.C. and 300 A.D. when it was mentioned in several texts during India’s Sangam Period of literature. Essentially, like any temple it serves as a place of worship for a certain deity. Specifically for the Padmanabhaswamy temple, its primary deity is Shiva, represented by the titular Sri Padmanabha.It’s one of the 108 Vaishnavite shrines and entrance is only for Hindus.There is no exact date of when this temple was built. However, one thing is for sure, it’s been there for a long time and it will stay there long after most of us are extinct.It is because of this rich but lost history that the Indiana Jones within all of us put the Padmanabhaswamy temple’s mysterious existence out from under dead Hindu knowledge and into the 21st century. With an order of the Indian Supreme Court in 2011, the six known vaults underneath the temple were explored. What was found inside them shook the world.

The vaults opened held unimaginable treasure, further cementing the temple’s title.They contained precious stones and metals, ancient artifacts, but most of all, gold.Gold coins dated around 200 B.C., golden necklaces and crowns, and even a solid gold statue of the temple deity, Padmanabha. All of the treasure found was estimated to be worth billions of dollars. This was said to be one of the biggest treasure finds in history and that’s not even the most exciting part. Out of the six temple vaults, only five were completely opened.The last vault, named Vault B by the Indian Supreme court, contains a door that leads to another chamber.The door, like the temple, is beautifully adorned, if not scary.Carved on the door, are two giant cobras, warning anyone who wants to open it and reveal the secrets inside. No one knows what's inside Vault B, but it is said that it holds the greatest treasure of all. There have been several attempts to open it, but none have been successful. It remains a mystery to this day.

There are no latches or bolts, not even a keyhole, no other means of entry except for a ritual performed by a “sadhus” or Hindu monk who must be powerful enough to perform the “Garuda Mantra” or chant.There is currently no known person capable of such a task.That’s why this inner sanctum has been sealed for centuries and no one knows what's inside.

Much information about the temple and its vaults is lost on temple officials, even for the Travancore royal family whose trust the temple is under.However, if the substantial amount of wealth from the other vaults is of any indication, then, it would be reasonable to think that this vault too will bring treasure with it…and maybe more, if the cobras’ warning on the door of the inner vault had any truth to them.The fear that the warning has sparked might be one of the reasons why the vaults of this temple has remained untouched by time. However, the 2011 Supreme Court order didn’t just come from pure curiosity of would-be treasure hunters and archeologists but also something less mysterious and more practical. The ruling was the result of a legal dispute between the Spanish government and Odyssey Marine Exploration, a US-based treasure hunting company. The company had discovered a shipwreck off the coast of Portugal and claimed ownership of its contents. The Spanish government disagreed and sought to reclaim the artifacts as its own.

In 2007, a lawsuit that accused the Travancore family of temple mismanagement and using the temple’s wealth for their own was filed by Ananda Padmanabhan, a lawyer from Trivandrum, Kerala. Padmanabhan, a man passionate about history, knew the history of the temple.Since its establishment, Indian royals lavished riches on the temple deity.Ceremonies would even be held where maharajas would donate gold to princes approaching adulthood.He believed that the treasures were still inside the temple and feared it might be misused by the royal family.

As a result of his lawsuit, the Indian government ordered an inventory of the temple's treasures.However, it seems that this isn't the first time the Indian government has explored the temple. According to a travel guide to Travancore, an ancient Indian kingdom now part of modern day Kerala, written by a notable British author, the 2011 discovery was not the first, though it was the one that discovered the most treasure.

In 1908, explorers failed to open the vaults because they quickly left when they discovered cobras infested chambers. However, in 1931, when Kerala was financially in need, another attempt was made to breach the vaults. This time it was successful, with at least one vault uncovered and ample treasure found. As for the other vaults, it would be 80 years until their treasures were found. However, not Vault B which has remained closed and continues to be accessible to the outside world. Currently, India's government is still trying to open the sealed door inside Vault B. The Travancore royal family, along with many religious devotees, have appealed the government’s order for another exploration of the remaining vault.

A ritual called Devaprasnam was held to know the deity’s wish for the temple and its treasures. In the ritual, a young boy who serves as the instrument through which the deity would interact and convey his wishes. After the Devaprasnam, the deity was apparently not pleased, wishing the treasures not to be disturbed and the last vault not to be opened or else.

According to the astrologers who performed the ritual, the opening of the inner chamber will cause untold catastrophic events of apocalyptic proportions. A legal battle is still being waged in India.There are many opinions about what to do with the treasure found. Some say it should be used to benefit the people of Trivandrum, the Kerala city where the temple resides, but religious devotees say otherwise. According to them, the government should not dive into the temple coffers, because similar incidents of the government trying to inventory the wealth of Christian churches in the state were halted.Why shouldn't it be the same for Padmanabhaswamy? Furthermore, since the treasure was given to the deity, it must remain there. In India, deities can actually own property, however they are considered minors and must have "adults" oversee it. It is for this reason that the Travancore family reasserts their rightful duty to oversee the temple and its treasures. For now, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple's fate remains up in the air.

The temple deity himself has given his sentiments. However, in this modern day and age and in a country that needs assistance to resolve its economic problems, what weight do these legends and warnings have? Will practicality win over religion and superstition? It is yet to be seen how these age-old beliefs will be reconciled with modern-day realities. It is likely that a balance will have to be struck between the two, in order to find the best solution for the country.

Whatever decision is made, it will have to be the right one. This is because the whole world is watching and maybe, just maybe, even Vishnu himself, and no one, certainly not Kerala, wants an apocalypse on their hands. If the wrong decision is made, it could lead to irreversible consequences that no one can control. Therefore, it is essential to take into account all of the potential outcomes before making a choice. And above all, it is important to listen to the people and take their opinions into account.