Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the 108 Divya Deshams (holy abodes of Lord Mahavishnu). Managed by the Travancore royal family, the temple is situated in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram literally means ‘the abode of Lord Sree Padmanabha’.

The temple has a rich heritage dating back to the eighth century. Alpashi which falls during the months of October/November and Painkuni during March/April are the major festivals at the temple.

Treasure trove

The temple was in news recently when a massive treasure was found kept in secret vaults inside the structure. A Supreme Court-appointed team made an inventory of the valuables in the vaults which included jewellery, artifacts and utensils made of pure gold, other precious metals and stones. The total value of the treasure is estimated to be over Rs 10 million crores making the temple the richest Hindu shrine in the world.