Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Type
Hindu Temple
Deity
Lord Padmanabha
Pincode
695023
A historic Vishnu temple in Thiruvananthapuram, where the deity is enshrined in the Anantha Shayanam posture, reclining on the serpent Adishesha. Renowned for its Dravidian gopuram and storied treasure vaults, it has traditionally been the family deity of the former Travancore royal family.
History & Significance
Significance
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram is one of the most sacred Vaishnava temples in Kerala and the wealthiest temple in the world (estimated treasure: ₹1.2 lakh crore or $15 billion, unearthed in 2011). The presiding deity, Lord Padmanabha, is Vishnu in his Ananta Shayana form — reclining on the cosmic serpent Ananta, so large that the idol spans three doors in the sanctum and can only be seen in sections.
History
The Padmanabhaswamy temple has been documented for over 1,000 years. The rulers of Travancore (Thiruvananthapuram) regarded themselves as servants (dasa) of Lord Padmanabha — hence their title 'Padmanabha Dasa'. The temple was rebuilt in its current form in the 18th century by King Marthanda Varma. The vault controversy began when the Supreme Court of India ordered an inventory of the temple's underground vaults in 2011, revealing an astonishing horde of gold, jewels, and ancient artefacts.
Lord Vishnu is believed to have manifested here on the request of the divine sage Divakara Muni, who prayed to see the Lord's universal form. Vishnu assumed the Ananta Shayana posture on the banks of the Padmatheertham lake. The idol at Padmanabhaswamy is said to represent Lord Vishnu's cosmic form from the Bhagavata Purana — creation emerging from his navel (the lotus on which Brahma is seated).
Architecture
The temple is built in the Kerala architectural style (Thachu Sastra) with elements of Tamil Dravidian architecture — a hybrid unique to Kerala temples. The 7-storey gopuram (entrance tower) rises to 30 metres. The sanctum has three doors — the head and right hand of the deity visible through the first, the torso through the second, and the feet through the third. The temple faces east and overlooks the Padmatheertham sacred tank. The outer wall is lined with 365 niches representing the days of the year.
Nearby Temples
Closest temples by distance — worth combining into the same trip.
