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 Tamil and Malayalam translates to "The City
of Lord Ananta", (The City Of Lord Vishnu) referring to the main deity of the temple. The temple is built in an
intricate fusion of the Chera style and Dravidian style of architecture, featuring high walls, and a 16th-
century gopura. While 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. The principal deity
Padmanabhaswamy (Vishnu) is enshrined in the "Anantha Shayana" posture, the eternal yogic sleep on the
infinite serpent Adi Shesha. Padmanabhaswamy is the tutelary deity of the royal family of Travancore. The
titular Maharaja of Travancore, Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma, is the current trustee of the temple.

The Shree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the 108 holy temples or ‘Divya Deshams’ dedicated to
Vaishnavism in India. According to historians, there is no exact record of the origin of this temple but there are
several versions about its origins with the date ranging from the 3rd century to the 9th century CE. The temple
has always been in the spotlight because it is believed to be one of the richest places of worship in the world.
Abundant treasure in the vaults of the temple (estimated to be worth over Rs. 1 lakh crore) is the pivotal reason
behind filing the cases as it prompted the debate as to who is responsible to manage and control the
administration and finances of the temple.

Built as a replica of the Adikesavaperumal Temple in Thiruvattar, the Padmanabhaswamy temple is well-
preserved antiquity. Although the origin of this temple still remains a mystery, devotees believe it to have
existed since the first day of the Kali Yuga, which was 5000 years ago. The Padmanabhaswamy temple also
has a mention in the Bhagwad Gita. The scripture states that Balarama, the older brother of Lord
Krishna frequented the temple, bathed in the Padmatheertham and also made several offerings the deity
here. 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 temple has been controlled
by a trust run by the descendants of the Travancore royal family since Independence.
HISTORY

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 of 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. 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.

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). 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. 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.
[15]
 The Ananthankadu Nagaraja Temple still exists to the north west of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The
samadhi (final resting place) of the swamiyar exists to the west of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. 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 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 this heavenly intervention, Pallichal Pillai and local
people opposed Padmanabhan Thampi and ensured that the mercenaries did not proceed with the misadventure.
TEMPLE STRUCTURE

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 representations of Vishnu, from the Gandaki River, north of Benares (now known
as Varanasi) to the temple. These were used in the reconsecration of the 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. 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.

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 protagonist appears 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 Venad and settled
there are known as Krishnan vakakkar as they belong to the lineage of Lord Krishna.

Gopuram
The foundation of the present gopuram was laid in 1566. The temple has a 100-foot (30 m), 7-tier gopuram made
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 SECRET CHAMBERS – 6 VAULTS

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. 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. 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. 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 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.
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 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, 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), 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 jewellery
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.
VAULT-B (NILAVARA) - 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 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. [70][71] 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).[72] 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 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.

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.
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. 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.

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.

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 connection
with the Padmanabhaswamy 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 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.
MYTHS
THE CURSE
The first ruling by the Supreme Court to assess the wealth of the temple came after advocate TP Sunder Rajan
had filed a writ petition in a Kerala court. Sunder Rajan passed away in July 2011.The unexpected death of
Sunder Rajan was held by many as a divine backlash. Many believed that opening the vault without the
prescribed puja would invoke the curse.

With the death of the mother of one of the observers and another observer injuring his leg, the rumours were
further reinforced. Elderly residents living in and around the temple also recalled having heard stories of how
opening the B-vault would trigger a flood as per the Ocean theory.

SNAKE GOD THEORY

Most of the superstitious beliefs that surround the B-vault stem from the engravings on the door of the vault that
resembles a large cobra who is said to represent the place of recline of the temple deity Lord Vishnu. 

Stories hence abound of how the door is protected by the snake-God, and can only be opened by sadhus chanting
the ‘Garuda Mantra’, the only hitch being there was no such sadhu in India. If the vault was opened using man-
made techniques, it would lead to catastrophes, Hindu mythology experts had felt.

OCEAN THEORY
About a century ago, faced with a severe famine, temple officials had tried to break open the chamber, but
stopped on hearing what sounded like rushing water. The story went on how the vault was connected to the
Arabian Sea, and once it is opened, the sea would flood the entire city.

VAASTHU
“’It is ideal that we keep the B vault locked. The treasures stored in that vault that is located below the deity’s
head are protected by taming of micro-natural forces by tantric experts for ensuring its safe upkeep. If anyone
dares to open that vault, it would trigger off a series of troubles”, Vaasthu expert K Muraleedharan Nair had then
opined. 

RAI’S RECOMMENDATION
The wealth management audit committee was constituted based on a Supreme Court directive in 2015 to look
into alleged irregularities in the functioning of the temple administration. The SC order came on the heels of the
recommendations of amicus curae and senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam who had sought a complete overhaul
of the said administration in 2014.

The comprehensive audit report which is said to be in five parts that come to 1000 pages bound in two volumes
and covers a period of 2004-2014, reiterates that there was a lack of transparency in the auditing process of the
temple wealth.

Rai also points out to the ‘abnormal’ increase in temple expenditure and has delineated strict accounting norms
and record-maintenance in minute detail for the future. He has also recommended the constitution of an
administrative committee comprising a retired IAS officer, a representative each from the Travancore royal
family and the Devaswom Board, the tantri (chief priest) of the temple, two prominent devotee-citizens and an
executive officer appointed by the Kerala Government with a fixed tenure of three years.

This committee would be responsible for the preparation and approval of the temple’s annual budget as well as
supervise its entire functioning of the all activities within the temple and be made accountable for all functioning.
FACTS & CONCLUSION
What makes the chamber B impenetrable? Ages ago, the sages of high stature had locked the portals with Naga
Paasam mantras (serpent noose) during the reign of King Marthanda Varma.

Only a sage or saint of high calibre is capable of removing the Naga Paasam by chanting Garuda mantra in a
proper way.

In fact, there are two ante-chambers apart from the main door guarding the entry to Chamber B. The inviolable
door is the third and the final door which is guarded by humongous serpents, the deities, enchanting and fiery
female vampire named Kanjirottu Yakshi and other supernatural entities.

The scary door of Vault B has serpent imagery and yakshi to indicate danger to whoever tries to open it.

Around hundred years ago, when the area was grappling with serious famine, the temple authorities tried to open
the chamber to use the treasure kept locked behind the doors. But, when they heard the sound of gushing ocean
waves from behind the door, they stepped back and gave up the idea. Since then, it is believed that the chamber is
connected to the Arabian Sea, and any attempt made with the modern technology to open the door will unleash
catastrophes across the state and in Kerala.

One of the persons who knew exactly what lies behind that secret door is the devout Uthradom Thirunal
Marthanda Varma, the head of the erstwhile royal family of Travancore. He, however, has sealed his lips
forever!!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Working on this project on “VAULT-B – ANANTHA PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE –

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM” was a source of immense knowledge to me. I would like to express my sincere
gratitude to my teacher, Mr. P. Raja Sir for his guidance and valuable support throughout the project work. This
project helped me in doing a lot of research and I came to know about so many new things.

We acknowledge with a deep sense of gratitude, the encouragement and inspiration received from our faculty
members.
 VAULT - B - THE SECRET CHAMBER
A Project Report on
The Hidden Secrets of Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Submitted to
CVR College of Engineering
by
PADARTHI SAHANA
(20B81A1236)

In partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

CVR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Mangalpally, R.R. Dist., Telangana-501510
DATE:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
S.NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1. Introduction 1

2. History 2-3

3. Temple Structure 4

4. The Secret Chambers- 6 Vaults 5-6

5. Vault-B- The Forbidden Zone 7

6. Controversies 8-9

7. Myths 10

8. Facts and Conclusion 11