Padmanabhaswamy Temple
The Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum ), the capital of the South Indian state of Kerala. He is Padmanabha ( " he with the Lotus Abel " ), consecrated, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. Was built the temple end of the 18th century by the kings of Travancore resided in Thiruvananthapuram, which revered Padmanabha as their family deity. The Padmanabhaswamy temple is regarded as one of 108 sacred places ( Divya Desams ) of the South Indian Vaishnavism.
Description
The Padmanabhaswamy temple is located within the former fort (Fort city) in the southwest of Thiruvananthapuram. Before the temple is known as the Padma Tirtham temple pond. In the immediate vicinity of the Temple of Puttan - Malika Palace, the former residence of the rulers of Travancore is situated. The most striking architectural feature of the Padmanabhaswamy temple is the 17 -meter-high seven-storey gopuram ( gate-tower ) in the Dravida style. In the Holy of Holies ( Garbhagriha ) is an idol, which represents Vishnu on the serpent Ananta mythical ( Shesha ) dormant. Eben That snake owes Thiruvananthapuram ( " Holy City Ananta " ) its name. The inlet in the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala subject as usual strict restrictions: Male temple visitors are allowed to enter the temple only bare-chested and a dhoti as legwear. Non - Hindus is the entrance completely banned.
Treasure trove
After the royal family of Travancore, is in possession of the temple had been before, was not able to pay for the upkeep of the sanctuary, located in 2011 against the resistance of the royal family, the handover of the temple at the state of Kerala to the Supreme Court in New Delhi. In a subsequent inventory large quantities of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, 536 kilograms of gold coins from the 18th century as well as numerous artifacts were found on June 30, 2011 in sealed for at least 130 years cellars. According to initial estimates alone is the material value over 15 billion euros. The Indian government has initially provided two dozen police officers to guard the temple leave around the clock. Oommen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala made the following statement that the state no claims on the finds lift, which were the property of the temple for his opinion. After the inventory and determination of the total value (including two additional chambers not been opened yet ), which will take many months, according to experts, the Supreme Court of India will determine what to do with the temple treasure.
The more than 380 larger and 1,123 smaller temple treasures - " Devaswom " of sanskrit devasva " property of the gods ," temple belonging - of the former princely state of Travancore, but especially of the main temple, the Padmanabhaswamy temple were already at the port of the former princely state of Travancore in, the Indian Union from July 1, 1949 subject to negotiations and agreements. Thereafter, the state subsidized the temple with 600,000 rupees annually; the management of the temple assets was thereby leaving the prince, who traditionally referred to himself as a " slave of the protective deity " Vishnu, the now but a consultant committee was provided by three Hindus to the side, of which the Maharaja two self-proclaimed; for the other temples in the country, a separate, three-member board of trustees also ( Travancore Devaswom Board) was appointed, in which the prince had the right of appointment only for one person.
Had there been conflicts over the use of the temple income repeatedly in the prewar years, the current dispute illuminated once more the need for a legally clearer identification of state and church property in Kerala ( secularization ).
Pictures
Entrance to the Temple
Idols in a procession