India's Supreme Court is trying to solve the fate of the vast wealth storing in the cellars of the Vishnist Temple in the city of Tiruvananthapuram. We are talking about treasures whose cost, according to the most modest counting, is $ 22 billion. On the one hand, they claim the descendants of Raji, centuries of copied gold and precious stones. On the other hand, the believers of the Hindus and the union of the servants of the temple. Meanwhile, the price of the question can jump significantly higher, since not all temple storages are opened, and the aggregative value of treasuredes there is likely equals the trillion dollars.

Stars in the darkness

"When the granite slab was moved down, almost absolute darkness reigned behind it - only a dull beam of light from the doorway was diluted. I looked into the storage glass, and I had an amazing sight: Like the stars flicker in the sky of a moonless night. Diamonds and other gems flashed, reflecting the weak light penetrated from the open door. Most of the treasures were folded in wooden chests, but over time the tree appealed to Duchus. Gemstones and gold simply lay through a pile on the floor covered with dust. I have never seen anything like that. "

So described the treasures of the Temple of Padmanabhasvami, one of the members of the Special Commission appointed by the Supreme Court of India for inspecting the treasury - Callara, in which Raji Travankor, the ancient principality in the territory of the current state of Kerala, the centuries stored their wealth. In the presence of a descendant of Raja, one of the storages opened to make sure: the ancient legends about countless wealth of the princely family are not lying.

Now Padmanabhasvami is under the clock security of 200 policemen. All approaches to the temple are viewed by cameras of external observation, the input of the metal detector is installed, and machine gunners are placed on key positions. These measures do not look excessive: although the members of the Commission pledged to store the full list of treasure found in the secret, speech, according to the most modest counting, is about values, slightly exceeding the budget of Croatia. Among the most remarkable exhibits from pure gold - a full-size throne, covered with hundreds of diamonds and other precious stones, 800 kilograms of coins, a chain of five and a half meters long and a golden sheaf weighing more than halftone.

The remaining storages are not yet opened. They may have treasures worth a trillion dollars - it is more than the US military budgets, China and Russia combined.

Cobra and minor gods

The principality of the Trabankor in the south of India was founded in 1729, but the Temple of Padmanabhasvami is much older. His current building was built in the XVI century. The sanctuary at this place, as historians assure, was long before that. In the ancient Tamil texts, he was called the Golden Temple, because according to the legend of the walls the sanctuary was made of pure gold. For centuries, people carry it there to bring to God Vishnu. After the founding of the trawankor, the jewelry flow literally hurt: fearless Raji won a lot of victories over her neighbors, assigning their treasures, and even defeated the Dutch East India company. The state flourished, the trade was attached, the money flowed the river.

The merchants returned from successful wanderings left in Padmanabhasvami, the main temple of the trawancar, generous offering. A lot of treasures of the temple sang and from the Rajay themselves: according to the custom of the heir to the throne, reaching the majority, passed the temple as a gift of gold as much as he weighed himself. In the British times, the Trabankor became the native principality, his rulers were at the Britons in a good account and enjoyed numerous privileges, continuing to rich. The treasures of the temple were safe: although the calllars guarded only a few people with wooden sticks, each in Trakanor knew that Padmanabhasv's basements were sissed by poisonous cells, whose images were carved on the doors to edify the thieves.

In 1946, before the departure of the British from India, the lords of the tralyankor remembered the former glory, refusing to join India and Pakistan. "Trawanor will become an independent state," the representative of the principality announced. - We do not see the reasons why there should be less sovereignty than Denmark, Switzerland or Siam. " Only with great difficulty of the trabankorets managed to persuade join India, but instead the princely family wore a lot of privileges, including the Guardian Title by Padmanabhasvami.

The fact is that according to the Indian laws of the Divine, which the temple is devoted to, can own with the gifts and land plots under the sanctuary. At the same time, legally gods are equal to minors, and therefore, the guardian is supposed to them - he is the keeper of the temple and all its treasures. It is this position that Raji Travankor received. Soon rumors crawled: evil tongues said that the deprived of other income Raji is not-no yes and launch hands into temple wealth.

War Ananda Padmanabhana

All changed two people. The House of Ananda Padmanabhan, a lawyer from Tiruvananthapuram, stands on the street leading to the temple, and he heard all the senses and gossip about the unclean for the hand of the former Rajakh Thumban. His uncle Sundararadzhan, the East of the believer of Hindu, did not worry the earthly wealth - only the ministry of the gods. Over the years, Padmanabhan under the influence of uncle with his head went into religion and decided to devote the life to God Vishnu.

In 2007, he sued the chapter of the Trancancar Raje, 86-year-old Marthanda Warma, arguing that he does not cope with the duties of the Guardian and Vishnu because of them lost a considerable part of his wealth. According to the estimates of a lawyer, a total of over the past decades from the temple, values \u200b\u200bin the amount of more than billion rupees ($ 15 million) were missing. "They did not even lead normal accounting," the lawyer was outraged. "The royal family Lgala, arguing that the treasures never opened, but also on the bursts of records it is clear that they opened them at least seven times." The Divine, stated Padmanabhan, requires a new guardian.

Padmanabhan suddenly supported the union of servants of the temple. His leader, in particular, said: "A lot of things have disappeared in recent years. In the temple was kept flute from ivory, she was many centuries. I saw her once, but since then no one has found it. A bunch of treasures just stole. " Soon one of the trade union activists, Padmanabhu Daas, unknowns poured acid, he survived literally miracle.

The investigation conducted by the CEO of India Wine Rama confirmed the testimony of Padmanabhan and the members of the trade union. The final document for 1000 pages listed missing from the temple of the jewelry, and the list, as they say in the document, incomplete.

Descendants of the past kings

During the process, the elderly descendant of Raji Marthanda Varma died, his place was taken by a nephew - a small entrepreneur Mullas Tirunal Rama Worm. He, like his uncle, categorically rejects all charges. The interests of the former rulers defend a whole team of professional lawyers in court.

Raji trabancore for centuries owned the temple, reminds of protection, and consisted in special relations with God Vishnu: So, the kings of the century in the century accompanied his idol during the solemn ablution in the sea twice a year and even asked him permission if it was necessary to leave the city. There is no earthly law to change this sacred connection. Any accusations of embezzlement are generally funny: records indicate that the late Marthand has repeatedly made money to cover the lack of a temple budget.

On the side of the Raja - the tremendous influence, which they still use in the state of Kerala, where they are sometimes important to king. If necessary, the former rulers of the trawancar easily organize campaigns in their support.

"The royal family considers the temple and treasure in it with their own property," Padmanabhan complains. - But in 1972, the government deprived them, as well as other rulers, all privileges and income. Personal exception was made only for those who were the ruler at the time of independence, but the last real Raja Travankor died in 1991. Now my work is almost completed - I wanted only the treasures are properly counted and described, and then let the court decide. "

Need more gold

Over this fight, another player is invisible to the federal government. India desperately needs gold: annually in order to satisfy the demand of the jewelry industry, it is necessary to import about a thousand tons, spending mad money on it. And in the Hindu temples throughout the country, according to the estimates of the head of Indian Arun Jatley, more than three thousand tons of this precious metal are stored (the golden stock of India, for comparison, is 550 tons).

Padmanabhasvami Temple (Padmanabhaswamy Temple; ṟṟī patmaṉābhasvāmi kṣētṟaṁ) Located in the city of Trivandra (Kerala, India), received global fame in July 2011, when 4 underground storage houses were opened in it, and one of the largest treasures in the history of mankind was found in it estimated at 22 billion dollars. Specialists can compare these finds only with the values \u200b\u200bof the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh of Tutankhamon, found in 1922.

But, in the temple there is a sixth storage, with the sixth door, which is still not opened, and behind which it is possible to store the greatest mystery and inconspicable treasures.

History of the temple

It is known that the temple, in the form in which he reached the present day, began to build in 1731. In 1750, Tsar Marthanda Varma (1729-1758), which is one of the most powerful rulers of the travaankar dedicated his kingdom of Padmanabhe. He suffered his residence in Tiruvananthapuras, the city of Ananty, who became known as Padmanabhadas, meaning the "servant of the Lord Padmanabhi." After that, through the capital of the Principality began to pass the main trading path.

The merchants attending the city did the generous sentences of the Deity of the Temple, so that not only to get a blessing for successful trade from the higher forces, but also to enlist the location of the local government. Also in the temple was kept gold, to make transactions for paying for spices and gold collected from Europeans in the form of a tax for the purchase and transportation of spices. A lot of gold and jewels turned out to be in the temple and as a result of donations made by members of rich families of the state.

As you know in India, there is a custom during civil servant and wars to hide in the temples of the city treasury, since the sacred structures were inviolable and not every gangster risked robbing the temple, fearing that the gods would not forgive the invasion of their homes. As a result, over the course of centuries, the servants of the temple collecting donations, and the fact that it was received for storage transferred treasures into underground caches, where it often remained forever.

This is the main version of the origin of treasures. But there is a version and about the earlier origin of the treasure, which says that the temple in this place was built long before the revenue of the principality itself. It is assumed that the temple was built back in the IV century BC. About the golden temple is mentioned in the ancient Tamil texts. Legends argue that even the walls of the temple used to be made of pure gold.

On the temple and the Divine of Padmanabhasvami

The temple, in the present form, was built in 1750, and was performed in mixed Dravidian and ceral styles. It has a notched seven-ordinary 30.5 meter tower, with a skillful carvings and many magnificent statues and sculptures.

The walls of the temple are covered with frescoes depicting different mystical stories. Inside the temple is a wide long corridor with a 24.5 meter golden sixth and flag and 324 embossed granite column. The surface of these columns is also covered with excellent carvings.

The main hall of the temple building is also decorated with frescoes, on which various mystical stories are depicted. In this room and is the main shrine of the temple: the statue of the deity of Padmanabhasvami.

The deity will face in the pose of mystical sleep yoga-nidra (Ananathasayans), on the "endless six" (Multi-Color Snake, the king of all NGOs is one of the forms of God in the Vedic religion and Hinduism).

From the navel Padmanabhasvami (Vishnu) lotus grows with a brahma sitting on it. The left hand of the sculpture is located over the stone-lingam, which is considered the most important form and image of Shiva. Near his wife are sitting: the goddess of the prosperity of the Sridevia and the goddess of the Earth of Bhuji.

The statue is built of 10008 Shalarama-Sil ("Sacred Stones" - Vaisnava Hindu Murthi in the form of spherical black stone), has a length of 5.5 meters, and is covered with gold and precious stones.

The deity can be seen from the three gate of the temple - through the same gate a part of the legs and feet, through other stomachs with a lotus growing from the navel and sitting on it, and through the third it is seen partially breasts, head and hands.Only Hindus can enter the temple in the appropriate clothes.

About treasure found costs more than 22 billion dollars

As mentioned above during the centuries, and maybe thousands of years, the priests of the temple collected donations: gold, other jewels and relate them to storing six underground caches. Two of these caches were sealed in the middle of the XIX century, and four others after in 1947, India received independence and the Kingdom of Trabankor ceased to exist.

Decision on openingcakes were accepted for more than fifty years. It was delayed because for several hundred years, the direct descendants of Raji Travankor managed the temple complex and were trustees of the Earth property by Padmanabhasvami and, of course, together with the custodians, opposed to such autopsy.

In 2009, lawyer Sundara Rajhan Submit Petition to the Supreme Court of India. In the petition, it was aggravated that it is necessary to open underground storerooms, sealed more than 130 years ago, in order to make due account of treasure stored there. The worry of the lawyer caused the fact that without proper supervision and accounting of treasures was subjected to a plunder. Sundar Rajan, before becoming a lawyer was a policeman, and understood what he says. He pointed to the poor temple guard. The police confirmed his words, saying in court that: "... Installing laser alarm systems, video surveillance systems and other modern security systems, but we do not have them." There was also information that the priests sometimes robbed the temple. But it was delayed.

Only in July 2011, the decision of the Supreme Court of India was published that in order to preserve the Values, the temple should move from the reference of the descendants of the Royal Family Trabar, in the authorities of the state of Kerala. Only after this decision of the court could legally open the repositories.

Cakes opened in the presence of the head of the Dynasty of the Trankore, 89-year-old Maharaja is lost Varma, seven court representatives. Indian archaeologists and researchers were also present. But no one could even imagine how impressive treasures found. One of those present later wrote: "... when the granite slab was moved away, almost absolute darkness reigned behind it - it diluted only a dull beam of light from the doorway. I looked into the storage glass, and I had an amazing sight: Like the stars flicker in the sky of a moonless night. Diamonds and other gems flashed, reflecting the weak light penetrated from the open door. Most of the treasures were folded in wooden chests, but over time the tree appealed to Duchus. Gemstones and gold simply lay through a pile on the floor covered with dust. I have never seen anything like that. "

Although the members of the Commission pledged to store a complete list of treasure found in the secret, but from the leaked information it became known that among the most remarkable exhibits were: from pure gold, a full-size throne, covered with diamonds and other gems, 536 kg of gold and silver coins, golden sheaf weighing more Five hundred kilograms, encrusted with emeralds and rubies crowns and dishes, golden figurines and a necklace five and a half meters long and weighing thirty-five kilograms. And also the Golden Statue of Vishnu is a 1.2 meter high.

This treasure became one of the largest in the history of mankind. The cost of the treasure found was estimated at $ 22 billion, although many scientists believe that the present value is impossible to calculate - the collection is simply priceless. There is only a similar to the scale of wealth only in the Palace of Maharaja Gai Singha II in Jaipur.

The news of the treasures quickly shielded the whole country, pilgrims reached into the temple, and unprecedented measures to ensure the safety of the treasures found were taken out. More than 200 policemen were attracted to guard, and inside the temple urgently installed security alarms and surveillance cameras.

But, unfortunately, even such measures were not enough. Full accounting of the jewels did not spend, and they still raise and disappear. For example, the audit report conducted in 2015 showed that: "Over the years, 266 kg of gold was kidnapped from the temple. According to sources close to Ray, gold was kidnapped from the temple 82 times. Of the 893,44 kg of gold exported from the temple for the work, only 627 kg of gold was replaced, and the remaining 266 kg was gone ... The report also notes that there is no trustworthy accounting system in the temple. Gold from temple archives was exported for various purposes, but often not returned.

The report also states that out of 82 vessels from precious metals, including silver exported during 2008-09, 72 were returned, and 10 were missing. Canes were open at least seven times, including twice in 1990 and five times during 2002, despite the ban to open the repository. The Royal Family of the Travankor, who was also transferred to the report, did not react to him.

Mystery of the sixth storage

From the time several years have passed, but the intrigue around the Temple of Padmanabhasvs continues to unfold. After all, the sixth storage facility has not been opened, where it is believed to be the most valuable part of the treasure.

The official reason for which this door is still not revealed is the ruling of the Supreme Court of India, which ruled that the last sealed repository will not be uncovered until the state authorities can provide a guarantee of inviolability and security to the temple. Treasures should be appreciated, documented. Professional attribution must be taken. There must also be a higher level of protection. However, as noted in the decision of the judge, due accounting and the protection was not fulfilled even for the treasures already found.

Secondly, the door is not in a hurry to open because the priests of the temple threaten that if the sixth door is opened, then the curse is waiting for everyone. The highest officials of Kerala are simply afraid to make decisive actions. They perceive seriously the threat of priests, remembering a bright example with the mysterious death of the initiator of the opening of the first five doors - Sundara Rajan.

There was no week after opening the storages, as he died suddenly. According to the official version, the cause of death was fever. But all who knew the lawyer could say that in spite of age, seventy years, he was a physically strong man, and did not complain about his health. And suddenly suddenly died. Moreover, the opening did not establish the exact cause of death. Many Hindus have not believed in newspapers about the causes of death, regarding his death as a punishment for the "worried sleep" of the deity of Padmanabhasvami.
They also remember the history of what happened alleged in the XIX century. Then an attempt was made to open this door. The Anglican was made to the autopsy, but as soon as they entered the dungeon, they were trying to unknown from where the hordes of huge snakes appeared. The British could not beat them from them with sabers, no firearms. Some managed to run in horror, and those whom the snakes bitten, died in terrible flour.

It is not going to give up the descendant of the loudspeople of the travaankar, who said that he would fight for the inviolability of the last cache with the treasures of the Temple of Padmanabhasvami.

There is another reason. This cache was not opened simultaneously with others, because it is sealed by a special forbidding "Snake Sign", guarding the peace of deities. The doors depict a huge Cobra with several heads. The door is sealedly sealed, although it is not clear how - there are no latches either locks, no holes for the key. It is believed that the gate in the dungeon is hermetically closed with sound waves. According to the legend, the door closed the door himself, and it is stored for her inviolable stock, which is forbidden to people.

At the beginning of the XVIII century, the Principality of Trawannar was formed in the south-west of the Indian Peninsula. For centuries, lively trading tracks took place over its territory. European pepper merchants, cloves and cinnamon appeared here in the XVI century, after in 1498, the caravels of the Portuguese Vasco da Gama saved here. Foreign and Indian merchants who came to the Trankore for spices and other goods, usually left generous sentences to God Vishnu to get a blessing for successful trading from the highest strength and at the same time enlist the location of local authorities. In addition to donations in the temple, gold was stored, obtained from European merchants to pay for spices. In 1731, by one of the most powerful rulers of Raja Marthand Karma (he rules in 1729-1758), in the metropolitan city of Trivandrum (now he is called Tiruvananthapuras - the capital of the current Indian state of Kerala) was built by the Majestic Temple of Padmanabhasv. Actually, one of the 108 insidual Vishnu was still from the III century to N. er, and in the XVI century the temple complex is located. Raja in the same place built gopuram - the main semic-round tower of the temple with a height of 30.5 m. It is decorated with a lot of statues and sculptures, each of which can be considered a real architectural masterpiece. Inside the temple leads a long corridor with a colonnade, consisting of 365 beautiful granite columns. Their surface is completely covered with a thread, which is an example of the true skill of ancient sculptors. The main hall of the temple building is decorated with frescoes depicting various mystical stories, and is designed to store the main shrine: the unique statue of Padmanabhasvami is the forms of Vishnu, who is in Pose Ananathasayanam, that is, in an eternal mystical dream. The sculptural embodiment of the Supreme God will relax on the gigantic thousand fellow snake Ananta-Shesha - the king of all NGA. From the navel Vishnu grows the lotus with the brahma sitting on it. The left hand of the sculpture is located above the stone lingam, which is considered the most important form and shiva. Near his wives are sitting: the goddess of the Earth of Bhudvi and the goddess of the prosperity of Sridevia. The statue of 5.5 m high is built of 10,008 pylagromashil (sacred stones) and covered with gold and precious stones. It can be seen from the three gate of the temple - through some of the feet, through others - the body, and through the third - the chest and face. For several hundred years, straight descendants of Raje Travankor managed the temple complex and were trustees of the Vishnu terrestrial property. However, several years ago it turned out that the majestic temple, and a magnificent sculpture - only the visible part of the wealth of Padmanabhasvami. Moreover, the ancient curse hung over the province of Kerala. The fact is that in 2009, the famous Indian lawyer Sundara Rajan wrote to the Supreme Court of India Petition: he demanded to open the storehouses of Sri Padmanabhasvami temple, sealed more than 130 years ago. Worried a lawyer that without proper supervision and accounting treasures could be simply looted. Rajan, as a former policeman, pointed to unacceptably bad temple guard. Local police confirmed his words: the police of Kerala have no technical means nor the experience of protecting such wealth. "Installing laser alarm systems, video surveillance systems and other modern security systems are needed, but we do not have them," the police officer said. In February 2011, the court recognized the rightness of Sundar Rajan and ordered the state to establish due control over the temple in order to ensure the necessary protection stored in its storage values. According to the court decision, the historical monument was transmitted under the jurisdiction of the government of the state of Kerala.

Of course, the descendant of Raja Travankore and the trustee of the temple of the eighty summer, Tirunal Marthanda Varma appealed to the Supreme Court with the appeal. Aristocrat stated that a special law adopted after receiving India independence gives him a full right to control the temple. In addition, he insisted that Raji Travankor had long been the priests of God Vishnu, which gives them the right to control the temple property. However, the Supreme Court did not agree with the arguments of the plaintiff and rejected an appeal on the basis that Raji in the XXI century no longer have a special legal status and are considered as ordinary citizens of India. Despite the wrath of the believers who believed that robbing gods was not allowed to anyone, including the authorities, the Special Government Commission fulfilled the decision of the Supreme Court and opened the temple caches in order to inventory of values. What was found inside the five secret underground premises, shocked the whole world: chests about 1 ton of gold coins, 1 tons of gold in ingots and jewelry, diamond bags and other gemstones. In one of the storages, the crowns are encrusted with emeralds and rubies, gold necklaces, a gold chain of 5.5 m long, 36-kilogram golden "canvas", rare coins of different countries, as well as an amazing statue of God Vishnu, lying on a snake of Ananta-Shesha, performed Of pure gold and having a height of 1.2 m.

According to preliminary data, the treasures found are estimated at almost a trillion Indian rupees, which exceeds $ 20 billion in the gold equivalent. This is more than the budget of the entire metropolitan district Delhi! According to Indian archaeologists and researchers, they did not even imagine how impressive will be found treasure. Naturally, unprecedented measures to ensure the safety of the treasure found were adopted by the state government. For their protection, they attracted most of the police states. In the very same temple, urgently installed security alarms and surveillance cameras. After that, the Hindus covered this mania: grabbing metal detectors or armed with pure enthusiasm, the crowds "pilgrims" ran into the temples - suddenly there are such treasures somewhere else? In the "house of the gods" they rushed and those who never were different. Everyone knows that with deep antiquity, the rich families of India generously sacrificed the temples of the jewelry, moreover, there was a custom during wars and civil servants to hide in the temples of the city treasury. But the sacred structures in India have always been inviolable, and not all the Hindus rushed to search for treasures - believers are terrified by the actions of "blasphemes" and argue that the gods will not forgive the invasion of their homes. At the same time, intrigue around the Temple of Padmanabhasvami continues to unfold. After all, only five treasures were opened. After that, they were going to reveal the last of six underground storage facilities, where, it is believed to be the most valuable part of the treasure. However, the curses that the priests are threatened by Vishnu, stop the senior officers of the Kerala from decisive actions. And the most striking example of the fact that it is unreasonable to hide from the threats of priests, served as the mysterious death of the initiator of the sacrence. There was no week after opening a treasure, as the seventieth-year-old Sundar Rajan died suddenly, according to the official version - from fever. Physically strong man, never before that did not complain about health, suddenly died, and the opening did not establish the exact cause of his death. Of course, many Hindus reports in the press were not believed and regarded his death as a punishment of Vishnu for a disturbed sleep. It is not going to give up the descendant of the rulers of the trasman. He stated that he would fight for the inviolability of the last cache with the treasures of the Temple of Padmanabhasvami. This cache was not opened simultaneously with five other rooms, since it is sealed by a special "Snake Sign", guarding the cherry. And it's not even a treasure that is stored there. There is a legend that in the room sealed by the Snake Sign, is kept a kind of inviolable supply of the temple of Vishnu. Gold and jewels stored there is forbidden to touch. Only in the most extreme case, when the fate of the principality and people living in it, the priests, after a special ceremony, will be allowed to open the door to the treasury, which is guarded by a huge three-collar cobra with ruby \u200b\u200beyes. The same who tries to penetrate into the dungeon, is waiting for a terrible death. They say that somewhere at the end of the XIX century, the British, who felt in India, the full owners, despite all the warnings of Raji and Priesers, decided to penetrate the forbidden treasury. But they could not do it.

Mandrels entered into a dungeon with torches and lamps, soon with wild screams jumped out from there. According to them, giant snakes pounced from the darkness. Frightened reptiles failed to stop neither sharp daggers or shots. Several people were bited by poisonous creatures. In the terrible torment, the Svyatattsy, who bred on the treasure of Vishnu, died on the hands of their comrades. No one more risked repeat their attempt to get into the forbidden storage room. So the cherished door is not yet open. One of the servants of the temple even gave testimony under the oath of the testimony that it is impossible to open the "door with the snake" - it promises all innumerable troubles. The Supreme Court ruled that the last sealed repository would not be open until the local authorities guarantee the temple of inviolability and safety, and treasures - due assessment and protection, documentation, shooting and professional attribution. However, as judges noted, it was not yet fulfilled even for the wealth already found. In the meantime, the supreme judges disassemble with old spells, historians and the public argue, who now belongs to the treasure and what to do with it. Vice Rector of the University. Mahatma Gandhi in Kerala Rajan Ruhorukal is confident that regardless of whether it was a treasure of princely or temple, it is a unique archaeological wealth that has a few hundred years. "And any archaeological object belongs to the nation." After all, first of all, the temple treasure is of tremendous value as a source of information about the society of medieval India and not only, since the treasies, the more such large, may contain coins and jewels accumulated for quite large intervals. Gorukal is confident that the state of found historical and cultural items should be carried out, and calls on to send treasure to the National Museum. But the ex-head of the Council of Archaeological Research, Narayanan stated the press that the power, on the contrary, should not interfere - the fate of the treasure should be solved by the Temple Council. Otherwise, it will be a sewering of private property. Representatives of the Indian intelligentsia, including the former judge of the Supreme Court of India Krishna Ayer, are offered to use wealth for the benefit of society: 450 million people live in the country of poverty. "Whether the treasures found by punishment or a blessing for one of the poorest Indian states will show time. One can say one thing: for the authorities of the state of Kerala, money would be definitely not superfluous, "said the German weekly Der Spiegel. At the same time, members of the Hindu communities insist on the preservation of treasures in the same place, the article says. And one of them even threatened the share of mass suicides if the values \u200b\u200bwere taken out of the temple. The angry Hindus argue their position by the fact that only the descendants of Maharaj, who guard the treasure of the temple, can decide what to do with them. However, the head of the state government Oommen Chandi has already promised that all values \u200b\u200bwill remain in possession of the temple. He added that consultations with the descendants of the rulers of the travacar and the chief priest of the temple are coming about this. On the other hand, many temples put their treasures to the bank (for example, the Temple of Tirumala Venkateshwara, located in the east of the country, stores a third of its three tons of gold in the bank). Others are actively investing in education and culture, build schools. Particularly interested in the fate of the treasures of the face, who were not at all surprised to be found in secret pantry, this is a princely family of travcore. "We are only surprised that this was so surprised," Marthanada Varma said in one interview. "Everyone knew that our family was rich and many centuries gave the Gold Temple." At the same time, the prince left the answer to the question whether his family was ready to pass part of the treasure found on public needs: "All the answers should give the Supreme Court. We are waiting for his decisions. " In the meantime, the court pulls the time, jewels lie in ancient temples. Nobody taken into account, they slowly disappear, disappear. Often, artifacts are replaced by newcomers, and the originals settle somewhere in private collections. The only way to stop it is to put temple monuments and treasurers under the control of the central authorities, consider many in India. Actually, the lawyer and former policeman Sundara Rajan said about this, who started the story with the opening of the temple caches and died whether the fever was died, or from anger Vishnu.

At the beginning of the XVIII century, the Principality of Trawannar was formed in the south-west of the Indian Peninsula. For centuries, lively trading tracks took place over its territory. European pepper merchants, cloves and cinnamon appeared here in the XVI century, after in 1498, the caravels of the Portuguese Vasco da Gama saved here.

Foreign and Indian merchants who came to the Trankore for spices and other goods, usually left generous sentences to God Vishnu to get a blessing for successful trading from the highest strength and at the same time enlist the location of local authorities. In addition to donations in the temple, gold was stored, obtained from European merchants to pay for spices.

In 1731, by one of the most powerful rulers of Raja Marthand Karma (he rules in 1729-1758), in the metropolitan city of Trivandrum (now he is called Tiruvananthapuras - the capital of the current Indian state of Kerala) was built by the Majestic Temple of Padmanabhasv.

Actually, one of the 108 insidual Vishnu was still from the III century to N. er, and in the XVI century the temple complex is located. Raja in the same place built gopuram - the main semic-round tower of the temple with a height of 30.5 m. It is decorated with a lot of statues and sculptures, each of which can be considered a real architectural masterpiece.

Inside the temple leads a long corridor with a colonnade, consisting of 365 beautiful granite columns. Their surface is completely covered with a thread, which is an example of the true skill of ancient sculptors.

The main hall of the temple building is decorated with frescoes depicting various mystical stories, and is designed to store the main shrine: the unique statue of Padmanabhasvami is the forms of Vishnu, who is in Pose Ananathasayanam, that is, in an eternal mystical dream.

The sculptural embodiment of the Supreme God will relax on the gigantic thousand fellow snake Ananta-Shesha - the king of all NGA. From the navel Vishnu grows the lotus with the brahma sitting on it. The left hand of the sculpture is located above the stone lingam, which is considered the most important form and shiva. Near his wives are sitting: the goddess of the Earth of Bhudvi and the goddess of the prosperity of Sridevia.

The statue of 5.5 m high is built of 10,008 pylagromashil (sacred stones) and covered with gold and precious stones. It can be seen from the three gate of the temple - through some of the feet, through others - the body, and through the third - the chest and face. For several hundred years, straight descendants of Raje Travankor managed the temple complex and were trustees of the Vishnu terrestrial property.

However, several years ago it turned out that the majestic temple, and a magnificent sculpture - only the visible part of the wealth of Padmanabhasvami. Moreover, the ancient curse hung over the province of Kerala.

The fact is that in 2009, the famous Indian lawyer Sundara Rajan wrote to the Supreme Court of India Petition: he demanded to open the storehouses of Sri Padmanabhasvami temple, sealed more than 130 years ago. Worried a lawyer that without proper supervision and accounting treasures could be simply looted. Rajan, as a former policeman, pointed to unacceptably bad temple guard.

Local police confirmed his words: the police of Kerala have no technical means nor the experience of protecting such wealth. "Installing laser alarm systems, video surveillance systems and other modern security systems, but we have no", - said police officer.

In February 2011, the court recognized the rightness of Sundar Rajan and ordered the state to establish due control over the temple in order to ensure the necessary protection stored in its storage values. According to the court decision, the historical monument was transmitted under the jurisdiction of the government of the state of Kerala.

In one of the storages, the crowns are encrusted with emeralds and rubies, gold necklaces, a gold chain of 5.5 m long, 36-kilogram golden "canvas", rare coins of different countries, as well as an amazing statue of God Vishnu, lying on a snake of Ananta-Shesha, performed Of pure gold and having a height of 1.2 m.

According to preliminary data, the treasures found are estimated at almost a trillion Indian rupees, which exceeds $ 20 billion in the gold equivalent. This is more than the budget of the entire metropolitan district Delhi!

According to Indian archaeologists and researchers, they did not even imagine how impressive will be found treasure. Naturally, unprecedented measures to ensure the safety of the treasure found were adopted by the state government. For their protection, they attracted most of the police states. In the very same temple, urgently installed security alarms and surveillance cameras.

After that, the Hindus covered this mania: grabbing metal detectors or armed with pure enthusiasm, the crowds "pilgrims" ran into the temples - suddenly there are such treasures somewhere else? In the "house of the gods" they rushed and those who never were different.

Everyone knows that with deep antiquity, the rich families of India generously sacrificed the temples of the jewelry, moreover, there was a custom during wars and civil servants to hide in the temples of the city treasury. But the sacred structures in India have always been inviolable, and not all the Hindus rushed to search for treasures - believers are terrified by the actions of "blasphemes" and argue that the gods will not forgive the invasion of their homes.

At the same time, intrigue around the Temple of Padmanabhasvami continues to unfold. After all, only five treasures were opened. After that, they were going to reveal the last of six underground storage facilities, where, it is believed to be the most valuable part of the treasure.

However, the curses that the priests are threatened by Vishnu, stop the senior officers of the Kerala from decisive actions. And the most striking example of the fact that it is unreasonable to hide from the threats of priests, served as the mysterious death of the initiator of the sacrence.

There was no week after opening a treasure, as the seventieth-year-old Sundar Rajan died suddenly, according to the official version - from fever. Physically strong man, never before that did not complain about health, suddenly died, and the opening did not establish the exact cause of his death. Of course, many Hindus reports in the press were not believed and regarded his death as a punishment of Vishnu for a disturbed sleep.

It is not going to give up the descendant of the rulers of the trasman. He stated that he would fight for the inviolability of the last cache with the treasures of the Temple of Padmanabhasvami. This cache was not opened simultaneously with five other rooms, since it is sealed by a special "Snake Sign", guarding the cherry. And it's not even a treasure that is stored there.

Mystery of the Sealed Door of the Temple of Padmanabhasvami

There is a legend that in the room sealed by the Snake Sign, is kept a kind of inviolable supply of the temple of Vishnu. Gold and jewels stored there is forbidden to touch.

Only in the most extreme case, when the fate of the principality and people living in it, the priests, after a special ceremony, will be allowed to open the door to the treasury, which is guarded by a huge three-collar cobra with ruby \u200b\u200beyes. The same who tries to penetrate into the dungeon, is waiting for a terrible death.

This door does not have locks, bolts, latches or any other clamps. It is believed that it is hermetically closed by means of sound waves.

They say that somewhere at the end of the XIX century, the British, who felt in India, the full owners, despite all the warnings of Raji and Priesers, decided to penetrate the forbidden treasury. But they could not do it.

Mandrels entered into a dungeon with torches and lamps, soon with wild screams jumped out from there. According to them, giant snakes pounced from the darkness. Frightened reptiles failed to stop neither sharp daggers or shots. Several people were bited by poisonous creatures.

In the terrible torment, the Svyatattsy, who bred on the treasure of Vishnu, died on the hands of their comrades. No one more risked repeat their attempt to get into the forbidden storage room.

So the cherished door is not yet open. One of the servants of the temple even gave testimony under the oath of the testimony that it is impossible to open the "door with the snake" - it promises all innumerable troubles. The Supreme Court ruled that the last sealed repository would not be open until the local authorities guarantee the temple of inviolability and safety, and treasures - due assessment and protection, documentation, shooting and professional attribution. However, as judges noted, it was not yet fulfilled even for the wealth already found.

In the meantime, the supreme judges disassemble with old spells, historians and the public argue, who now belongs to the treasure and what to do with it. Vice Rector of the University. Mahatma Gandhi in Kerala Rajan Ruhorukal is confident that regardless of whether it was a treasure of princely or temple, it is a unique archaeological wealth that has a few hundred years.

"And any archaeological object belongs to the nation." After all, first of all, the temple treasure is of tremendous value as a source of information about the society of medieval India and not only, since the treasies, the more such large, may contain coins and jewels accumulated for quite large intervals. Gorukal is confident that the state of found historical and cultural items should be carried out, and calls on to send treasure to the National Museum.

But the ex-head of the Council of Archaeological Research, Narayanan stated the press that the power, on the contrary, should not interfere - the fate of the treasure should be solved by the Temple Council. Otherwise, it will be a sewering of private property.

Representatives of the Indian intelligentsia, including the former judge of the Supreme Court of India Krishna Ayer, are offered to use wealth for the benefit of society: 450 million people live in the country of poverty.

India's Supreme Court is trying to solve the fate of the vast wealth storing in the cellars of the Vishnist Temple in the city of Tiruvananthapuram. We are talking about treasures whose cost, according to the most modest counting, is $ 22 billion. On the one hand, they claim the descendants of Raji, centuries of copied gold and precious stones. On the other hand, the believers of the Hindus and the union of the servants of the temple. Meanwhile, the price of the question can jump significantly higher, since not all temple storages are opened, and the aggregative value of treasuredes there is likely equals the trillion dollars.

"When the granite slab was moved down, almost absolute darkness reigned behind it - only a dull beam of light from the doorway was diluted. I looked into the storage glass, and I had an amazing sight: Like the stars flicker in the sky of a moonless night. Diamonds and other gems flashed, reflecting the weak light penetrated from the open door. Most of the treasures were folded in wooden chests, but over time the tree appealed to Duchus. Gemstones and gold simply lay through a pile on the floor covered with dust. I have never seen anything like that. "

So described the treasures of the Temple of Padmanabhasvami, one of the members of the Special Commission appointed by the Supreme Court of India for inspecting the treasury - Callara, in which Raji Travankor, the ancient principality in the territory of the current state of Kerala, the centuries stored their wealth. In the presence of a descendant of Raja, one of the storages opened to make sure: the ancient legends about countless wealth of the princely family are not lying.

Now Padmanabhasvami is under the clock security of 200 policemen. All approaches to the temple are viewed by cameras of external observation, the input of the metal detector is installed, and machine gunners are placed on key positions. These measures do not look excessive: although the members of the Commission pledged to store the full list of treasure found in the secret, speech, according to the most modest counting, is about values, slightly exceeding the budget of Croatia. Among the most remarkable exhibits from pure gold - a full-size throne, covered with hundreds of diamonds and other precious stones, 800 kilograms of coins, a chain of five and a half meters long and a golden sheaf weighing more than halftone.

At the same time, members of the Hindu communities insist on the preservation of treasures in the same place, the article says. And one of them even threatened the share of mass suicides if the values \u200b\u200bwere taken out of the temple. The angry Hindus argue their position by the fact that only the descendants of Maharaj, who guard the treasure of the temple, can decide what to do with them.

However, the head of the state government Oommen Chandi has already promised that all values \u200b\u200bwill remain in possession of the temple. He added that consultations with the descendants of the rulers of the travacar and the chief priest of the temple are coming about this.

On the other hand, many temples put their treasures to the bank (for example, the Temple of Tirumala Venkateshwara, located in the east of the country, stores a third of its three tons of gold in the bank). Others are actively investing in education and culture, build schools.

Particularly interested in the fate of the treasures of the face, who were not at all surprised to be found in secret pantry, this is a princely family of travcore.

PS: By the beginning of the 20th century, 80% of all the gold of the world was constructed in Asia, including India and China. It was the Fed USA that it tried that this gold is not included in the world turnover ...

The richest temple in the world July 23rd, 2016

We will learn a little later about the wealth of the temple, but for now a little history.

Built in honor of one of the main Hindu gods Vishnu, the Temple of Padmanabhasvami is located in the capital of the Southern State of Kerala, the city of Trivandruum, or how it is more commonly called Tiruvananthapuram.

Gopuram, the main tower of the temple, was built in 1566. It has seven levels, and its height is more than 30 meters. It is decorated with many statues and sculptures, each of which can be considered a real architecture masterpiece. Inside the temple leads a long corridor with a colonnade, consisting of 365 excellent granite columns. Their surface is completely covered with a thread, which is an example of the true skill of ancient sculptors.

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In the main building of the building there is the main shrine of the temple - the statue of Vishnu, depicting it in the aspect of Sri Padmanabha, resting on the snake Anantha or Adi Seashe, the lotus is growing from his navel, on which Brahma is sitting. The left hand of Vishnu is located above the ling - a stone-container of the Divine Entity - Shiva. And next to him are two of his wife - Sridevia, the Goddess of prosperity, and Bhuj, the goddess of the earth. The statue is made of power - fossil extracted from the bottom of the sacred river Kali-Gandaki, which has a black color and is considered an aiconal embodiment of Vishnu. In addition, the statue is covered with a special substance "Katuksarkar yogam" - Ayurvedic mixture, which does not allow to settle on the surface of the idol dust and dirt.

In the temple twice a year, a ten-day festival of traditional dance and dramatic art of Kerala - Kathakali is held. But only people who profess Hinduism can enter Padmanabhasvami, and they are obliged to comply with a very strict dress code.

In past centuries, kings and their dynasties donated a huge amount of gold church. Often, on the occasion of the grinders, the temple received the weight equivalent of an adult heir, only in the form of gold. There are still legends that somewhere under the construction itself all these inconspicuous treasures are hidden. In ancient literature, the temple is described with the walls of gold and a huge number of precious stones.

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In 2011, the decision of the court of legend turned into reality.

Before opening the storage facilities, no one suspected what could be in the rooms. But seeing the treasures, many were shocked, the amount of gold, diamonds, at first glance, did not give up counting. To protect the treasury, the authorities are constantly tightened by all police states. Inside the temple, signaling systems and video surveillance are installed.

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And indeed, there was something to be surprised, and what to protect, the weight of only gold coins was one ton. And also one more than one ton, gold cast into bars, and various necklaces, a variety of diverse gems. In one of the five open storage rooms, crowns were found decorated with emeralds and rubies.

Made of gold statue of God Vishnu, lying on a snake, a large gold chain of a long 5.5 meters, gold necklaces. But the archaeologists were able to open only five storage facilities, the sixth room and so ones are sealed. As many are predicted, there are impenetrable wealth.

Photo 5.

Due to the opening of the warehouses, litigation has been stretched very long. The descendants of Raji Travankor, claimed to possess the temple and declared themselves to treasure owners. However, the result of long trials becomes a decision - to open the repository, obliging the state to ensure the protection of the treasury, and transfer the legacy of the past to the authorities of the state of Kerala.

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Such a court decision, outraged by Worm, and he draws a protest to the Supreme Court. A 89-year-old man who is a trustee of the temple referred to a special law adopted after receiving India independence, which gave the temple and treasure at its full order.

But the words of the aristocrat that Raji Travankor was the priests of the temple of Vishnu, and he was their direct descendant, did not impress the judges. The appeal was rejected, and the judge said that in our time, Raji no longer have a special legal status making them an exception. However, the aristocrat continues to fight for the possession of the temple of Padmanabhasvami.

Photo 7.

The sixth room of the temple is sealed "Snake Sign", - an image of a huge multi-headed cobra, a dental rest of the cherry. The official version states that the old storage will not be discharged until local authorities provide the necessary safety of the ancient treasures. Security, documentation, and phased video. As noted by the judges, until this is not fulfilled, and the Supreme Court expects a detailed report on the treasures already found.

Another reason for the interfering opening of the last room is superstition. And rather, the curse that shows the death of everyone who breaks the peace of God. And local authorities, there are reasons for the curse seriously. The police officer Sundar Rajan, who insisted the tomb at the opening of 150 years ago, died.

Photo 8.

A man, who did not complain about his health, and physically strong, unexpectedly dies after opening the tomb. An autopsy could not establish the truth cause of death. And many residents of the state of Kerala, regarded the sustainable death of a former officer, as the punishment of God Vishnu, for disturbed peace.

According to one of the assumptions, the descendant of Raji and the priests are not in personal interests protect the treasures of the temple. The legend says that in the room sealed "Snake Sign", the treasures are stored which is forbidden to touch. They are left by God Vishnu for special occasions, when the threat of the entire principality arises, and is guarded by a giant three-liter curb with ruby \u200b\u200beyes. And open the treasury will be possible only after a special ceremony with prizhs.

Photo 9.

All those people who try to go to the room awaits terrible death. Talk stories, as at the end of the 19th century, the British without obeying the warnings of Raji and Priests, went to the treasury. Taking torches, they boldly went to extract treasures. However, immediately crosses with shouts and screams left the place with treasures.

After, the survivors told how honey snakes thrown out of the darkness. Which could not be stopped either knives or bullets. People branted by snakes, died on the hands of their comrades in creepy crops and shouts,. After this incident, attempts to penetrate the treasury was not undertaken.

Photo 10.

The open storages of the temple demonstrated more than 800 kilograms of gold, the sheaf of gold, weighing more than half a thin, several thousand gold jewelry, the golden throne in diamonds and a lot more. Excluding historical value, all wealth were estimated at about $ 22 billion.

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