Thiruvananthapuram:
The famous Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram has witnessed a sharp spike in pilgrims and tourists over the past year.
Visitors to the temple also include pilgrims who visit Kerala for the Sabarimala pilgrimage which passes through the state's Periyar tiger reserve.
Karanjeet Singh, a visitor to the temple, said that looking at some of the temple's fabled treasures was a fascinating experience.
"It was my wish to visit this place and now I got the opportunity. I've been in Thiruvananthapuram for sometime and I utilised my opportunity to visit this temple. I also saw that there is a lot of gold inside and this is the richest Swamy (deity) in the world. It attracted me to go inside, and I came here to take blessings of the Lord," Singh said.
The temple shot to prominence last year after its cellars were opened, revealing it as the conutry's richest temple with assets valued at over 1 trillion rupees.
This valuation could possibly increase since one of the most important cellars, the 'B" cellar, has still not been opened.
The Supreme Court has appointed an expert panel for a detailed documentation of the treasures of the temple. The expert panel will meet on January 22 to decide the date on which the actual evaluation of the wealth will begin.
The reports about the temple's wealth, in addition to its religious significance as being one of the 108 "Divya Desams" (Holy Abodes of Lord Vishnu), have led to the swell in the visitors to the shrine.
Visitors to the temple also include pilgrims who visit Kerala for the Sabarimala pilgrimage which passes through the state's Periyar tiger reserve.
Karanjeet Singh, a visitor to the temple, said that looking at some of the temple's fabled treasures was a fascinating experience.
"It was my wish to visit this place and now I got the opportunity. I've been in Thiruvananthapuram for sometime and I utilised my opportunity to visit this temple. I also saw that there is a lot of gold inside and this is the richest Swamy (deity) in the world. It attracted me to go inside, and I came here to take blessings of the Lord," Singh said.
The temple shot to prominence last year after its cellars were opened, revealing it as the conutry's richest temple with assets valued at over 1 trillion rupees.
This valuation could possibly increase since one of the most important cellars, the 'B" cellar, has still not been opened.
The Supreme Court has appointed an expert panel for a detailed documentation of the treasures of the temple. The expert panel will meet on January 22 to decide the date on which the actual evaluation of the wealth will begin.
The reports about the temple's wealth, in addition to its religious significance as being one of the 108 "Divya Desams" (Holy Abodes of Lord Vishnu), have led to the swell in the visitors to the shrine.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
