Ownership battle for £14bn treasure trove of gold and jewels found in underground vaults at Indian temple. A £14billion treasure trove found beneath an ancient Indian temple has sparked a row over its ownership and how best to put the vast wealth to use.
Five underground vaults at the 16th century Padmanabhaswamy Temple in southern Kerala were prised open for the first time last month, revealing the dazzling stash. But the archaelogical find, one of the greatest ever made in India, has triggered a fierce legal battle for custodianship, with growing calls for the redistribution of the wealth to the poor.
Glistening: A replica of the gold statue of Lord Vishnu found in the vaults of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in southern Kerala, India. The stash at the Padmanabhaswamy temple is worth billions - and the value could yet rise with vaults still to be opened
The royal family of Kerala's Travancore area, which controls the temple, has been pitted against a state High Court that has asked the state government to bring the temple under a public trust. The current maharajah, or head of the royal family, Marthanda Verma, has since challenged the court ruling in India's Supreme Court, with the backing of some state politicians.
'The Supreme Court has stayed a Kerala High Court ruling asking the state government to take over the temple. We will go by the direction,' said Temple Affairs Minister V.S. Sivakumar. The royal family's guardianship of the temple's wealth over close to three centuries has drawn plaudits.
But critics say the fortune could go far to stimulate Kerala's local economy and improve living standards in a country where an estimated 450million people live in poverty. 'The royal family had a great tradition of being progressive and it had been an integral part of the history and traditions of the temple.
'It would not be right to deny them any role in the temple's affairs,' said Ramesh Chennithala, chief of the Kerala unit of the ruling Congress party.
Riches: These similar treasures were discovered in another Hindu temple
Offerings: Devout Hindus often bestow temples with rich gifts
Obsession: Indian culture is fixated with gold, as these relics show, with some 600 tons imported annually
A Supreme Court-appointed committee has so far opened and examined five of the six vaults but deferred opening of the sixth vault to ensure safety of the assets while armed commandos guard the site against looting. The valuables which have been unearthed so far include a one-foot tall golden statue of the Hindu god Vishnu, which is decorated with precious gems and estimated to be worth around £70million.
An 18ft long necklace, a golden bow, a golden rope, and golden coconut shells were also among the many priceless objects which were found, along with bangles, antique silvers, gold coins and emeralds.
Record: These relics are from Thirupathy temple which, until this most recent find, was thought to be India's richest temple
Devotion: Hindus want the latest stash to remain in situ, to maintain the sanctity of the temple
However the total value of the treasure can only be determined after the final chamber - which had been sealed for nearly 140 years - is opened. As yet, there are no pictures of the treasures themselves, as cameras are forbidden in Hindu temples.
The 500-year-old temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is unique in terms of architecture and mythology, with legends of a curse protecting the long-hidden treasure. The state government says the find will continue to remain the temple's property, mirroring the stance of Hindu groups who say the religious relics must not be removed.
Others say a museum should be established for the treasures. 'This will bring the capital city to world limelight and bring more tourists,' said temple expert Malayinkeezh Gopalakrishnan.
Tight security: Indian police walk past the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala
Kerala's police chief Jacob Punnoose said extra police officers are being assigned to guard the temple. Local authorities are also planning a high-tech security system to protect the treasure. 'Now it's known all over the world the Padmanabhaswamy temple has jewels worth billions of rupees we have decided to assign it maximum security,' Mr Punnoose said.
India's devout masses have occasionally bestowed great wealth to religious sites and trusts that run hospitals and educational institutions through donations. Prior to the discovery, the richest temple in India was thought to be the Thirupathy temple in southern Andhra Pradesh state, which contains valuables worth 320billion rupees.
5:["$","$4",null,{"fallback":[[["$","link","css:/assets/_layout-BzYdn0f6.css",{"rel":"stylesheet","precedence":"vite-rsc/importer-resources","href":"/assets/_layout-BzYdn0f6.css","data-rsc-css-href":"/assets/_layout-BzYdn0f6.css"}],"$undefined"],["$","div",null,{"className":"flex justify-center items-center p-8","children":["$","div",null,{"className":"animate-spin rounded-full h-8 w-8 border-b-2 border-indigo-600"}]}]],"children":["$","div",null,{"className":"bg-white/95 mt-0.5 py-6 sm:py-12","children":["$","article",null,{"className":"mx-auto w-full max-w-2xl format format-sm sm:format-base lg:format-lg format-blue dark:format-invert","children":[["$","header",null,{"className":"mb-4 lg:mb-6 not-format","children":[["$","h1",null,{"className":"mb-4 text-3xl font-extrabold leading-tight text-gray-900 lg:mb-6 lg:text-4xl dark:text-white","children":"Ownership Battle For Treasure Trove at Indian Temple"}],["$","address",null,{"className":"flex items-center mb-6 not-italic","children":["$","div",null,{"className":"inline-flex items-center text-sm text-gray-900 dark:text-white","children":[["$","img",null,{"className":"mr-3 w-8 h-8 rounded-full","src":"$7","alt":"Sunny"}],["$","a",null,{"href":"/author/sunny_73326181482902","rel":"author","className":"font-bold capitalize hover:underline dark:text-white","children":"Sunny"}],["$","span",null,{"className":"mx-1 text-md text-gray-400 dark:text-gray-500","children":"·"}],["$","span",null,{"className":"inline-flex items-center ml-1 text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400","children":"4 min read"}],["$","span",null,{"className":"mx-1 text-md text-gray-400 dark:text-gray-500","children":"·"}],["$","time",null,{"dateTime":"Fri Jul 15 2011","className":"text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400","children":"Jul 15, 2011"}],[["$","span",null,{"className":"mx-1 text-md text-gray-400 dark:text-gray-500","children":"·"}],["$","a","information",{"href":"/t/information","className":"capitalize text-sm text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400 hover:text-gray-600","children":"information"}]]]}]}]]}],["$","div",null,{"className":"lead prose mt-4 text-lg leading-8 text-gray-600","children":["$","div",null,{"dangerouslySetInnerHTML":{"__html":"$8"}}]}],"$L9","$La"]}]}]}] b:T63b,M12.315 2c2.43 0 2.784.013 3.808.06 1.064.049 1.791.218 2.427.465a4.902 4.902 0 011.772 1.153 4.902 4.902 0 011.153 1.772c.247.636.416 1.363.465 2.427.048 1.067.06 1.407.06 4.123v.08c0 2.643-.012 2.987-.06 4.043-.049 1.064-.218 1.791-.465 2.427a4.902 4.902 0 01-1.153 1.772 4.902 4.902 0 01-1.772 1.153c-.636.247-1.363.416-2.427.465-1.067.048-1.407.06-4.123.06h-.08c-2.643 0-2.987-.012-4.043-.06-1.064-.049-1.791-.218-2.427-.465a4.902 4.902 0 01-1.772-1.153 4.902 4.902 0 01-1.153-1.772c-.247-.636-.416-1.363-.465-2.427-.047-1.024-.06-1.379-.06-3.808v-.63c0-2.43.013-2.784.06-3.808.049-1.064.218-1.791.465-2.427a4.902 4.902 0 011.153-1.772A4.902 4.902 0 015.45 2.525c.636-.247 1.363-.416 2.427-.465C8.901 2.013 9.256 2 11.685 2h.63zm-.081 1.802h-.468c-2.456 0-2.784.011-3.807.058-.975.045-1.504.207-1.857.344-.467.182-.8.398-1.15.748-.35.35-.566.683-.748 1.15-.137.353-.3.882-.344 1.857-.047 1.023-.058 1.351-.058 3.807v.468c0 2.456.011 2.784.058 3.807.045.975.207 1.504.344 1.857.182.466.399.8.748 1.15.35.35.683.566 1.15.748.353.137.882.3 1.857.344 1.054.048 1.37.058 4.041.058h.08c2.597 0 2.917-.01 3.96-.058.976-.045 1.505-.207 1.858-.344.466-.182.8-.398 1.15-.748.35-.35.566-.683.748-1.15.137-.353.3-.882.344-1.857.048-1.055.058-1.37.058-4.041v-.08c0-2.597-.01-2.917-.058-3.96-.045-.976-.207-1.505-.344-1.858a3.097 3.097 0 00-.748-1.15 3.098 3.098 0 00-1.15-.748c-.353-.137-.882-.3-1.857-.344-1.023-.047-1.351-.058-3.807-.058zM12 6.865a5.135 5.135 0 110 10.27 5.135 5.135 0 010-10.27zm0 1.802a3.333 3.333 0 100 6.666 3.333 3.333 0 000-6.666zm5.338-3.205a1.2 1.2 0 110 2.4 1.2 1.2 0 010-2.4z6:["$","footer",null,{"className":"bg-gray-900 dark:bg-gray-900","children":["$","div",null,{"className":"mx-auto max-w-7xl px-6 py-4.5 md:flex md:items-center md:justify-between lg:px-8","children":[["$","div",null,{"className":"flex justify-center space-x-6 md:order-2","children":[["$","a","Facebook",{"href":"https://facebook.com/gleeztech","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer","className":"text-gray-400 hover:text-gray-500","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"sr-only","children":"Facebook"}],["$","svg",null,{"className":"h-6 w-6","fill":"currentColor","viewBox":"0 0 24 24","aria-hidden":"true","children":["$","path",null,{"fillRule":"evenodd","d":"M22 12c0-5.523-4.477-10-10-10S2 6.477 2 12c0 4.991 3.657 9.128 8.438 9.878v-6.987h-2.54V12h2.54V9.797c0-2.506 1.492-3.89 3.777-3.89 1.094 0 2.238.195 2.238.195v2.46h-1.26c-1.243 0-1.63.771-1.63 1.562V12h2.773l-.443 2.89h-2.33v6.988C18.343 21.128 22 16.991 22 12z","clipRule":"evenodd"}]}]]}],["$","a","Instagram",{"href":"https://instagram.com/gleeztech","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer","className":"text-gray-400 hover:text-gray-500","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"sr-only","children":"Instagram"}],["$","svg",null,{"className":"h-6 w-6","fill":"currentColor","viewBox":"0 0 24 24","aria-hidden":"true","children":["$","path",null,{"fillRule":"evenodd","d":"$b","clipRule":"evenodd"}]}]]}],["$","a","X",{"href":"https://x.com/gleeztech","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer","className":"text-gray-400 hover:text-gray-500","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"sr-only","children":"X"}],["$","svg",null,{"className":"h-6 w-6","fill":"currentColor","viewBox":"0 0 24 24","aria-hidden":"true","children":["$","path",null,{"d":"M13.6823 10.6218L20.2391 3H18.6854L12.9921 9.61788L8.44486 3H3.2002L10.0765 13.0074L3.2002 21H4.75404L10.7663 14.0113L15.5685 21H20.8131L13.6819 10.6218H13.6823ZM11.5541 13.0956L10.8574 12.0991L5.31391 4.16971H7.70053L12.1742 10.5689L12.8709 11.5655L18.6861 19.8835H16.2995L11.5541 13.096V13.0956Z"}]}]]}],"$Lc"]}],"$Ld"]}]}] 9:null a:["$","$4",null,{"fallback":["$","div",null,{"className":"comments-skeleton","children":[["$","div",null,{"className":"h-6 bg-gray-200 rounded w-32 mb-4 animate-pulse"}],["$","div",null,{"className":"space-y-3","children":[["$","div","1",{"className":"h-16 bg-gray-100 rounded animate-pulse"}],["$","div","2",{"className":"h-16 bg-gray-100 rounded animate-pulse"}],["$","div","3",{"className":"h-16 bg-gray-100 rounded animate-pulse"}]]}]]}],"children":"$Le"}] c:["$","a","GitHub",{"href":"https://github.com/gleez","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer","className":"text-gray-400 hover:text-gray-500","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"sr-only","children":"GitHub"}],["$","svg",null,{"className":"h-6 w-6","fill":"currentColor","viewBox":"0 0 24 24","aria-hidden":"true","children":["$","path",null,{"fillRule":"evenodd","d":"M12 2C6.477 2 2 6.484 2 12.017c0 4.425 2.865 8.18 6.839 9.504.5.092.682-.217.682-.483 0-.237-.008-.868-.013-1.703-2.782.605-3.369-1.343-3.369-1.343-.454-1.158-1.11-1.466-1.11-1.466-.908-.62.069-.608.069-.608 1.003.07 1.531 1.032 1.531 1.032.892 1.53 2.341 1.088 2.91.832.092-.647.35-1.088.636-1.338-2.22-.253-4.555-1.113-4.555-4.951 0-1.093.39-1.988 1.029-2.688-.103-.253-.446-1.272.098-2.65 0 0 .84-.27 2.75 1.026A9.564 9.564 0 0112 6.844c.85.004 1.705.115 2.504.337 1.909-1.296 2.747-1.027 2.747-1.027.546 1.379.202 2.398.1 2.651.64.7 1.028 1.595 1.028 2.688 0 3.848-2.339 4.695-4.566 4.943.359.309.678.92.678 1.855 0 1.338-.012 2.419-.012 2.747 0 .268.18.58.688.482A10.019 10.019 0 0022 12.017C22 6.484 17.522 2 12 2z","clipRule":"evenodd"}]}]]}] d:["$","div",null,{"className":"mt-8 md:order-1 md:mt-0","children":["$","p",null,{"className":"text-sm leading-5 text-gray-400","children":["© 2005 - ",2026," Gleez Inc. All rights reserved."]}]}] e:["$","div",null,{"className":"mt-8","children":[["$","h3",null,{"className":"text-xl font-semibold mb-4","children":"Voices"}],["$","p",null,{"className":"text-gray-500","children":"No voices yet on \"Ownership Battle For Treasure Trove at Indian Temple\". Be the first!"}]]}]