India's Cash-Rich Shrines


Bangalore: India is known all over the world as the ‘Land of Temples’. It is also known as the land of Gods and Goddesses. Owing to the rich heritage and cultural significance these temples carry, every year millions of visitors throng to Indian temples. People of various religions and beliefs offer many precious assets to the temple as a token of their respect and faith. Let’s take a look at some of the richest temples of India as listed by Mail Today-

1. Padmanabhaswamy Temple:

The Padmanabhaswamy temple, located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is one of the 108 Divya Desams (Holy Abodes of Vishnu) – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism. The shrine is run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple and its properties were controlled by eight powerful Nair feudal lords under the guidance of a council.  With an estimated value of the monumental items close to 1.2 lakh crore ($18 billion), Padmanabhaswamy temple is now one of the wealthiest temples in India. If the antique value is taken into account, these assets could be worth ten times the current market price. Most of the valuables are believed to have been in the temple for hundreds of years. According to some historians a major chunk of the stored assets reached kings in the form of tax, gifts, as well as conquered wealth of states and offerings stocked in the temple for safekeeping.

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