At the heart of old Thiruvananthapuram, behind a towering seven-tier gopuram, lies the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple — one of the most storied Hindu shrines in India. It is dedicated to Vishnu as Anantha Padmanabha, shown in eternal yogic sleep on the great serpent Anantha, and is counted among the 108 divya desams, the most sacred Vaishnava sites. But what has made it world-famous in recent years lies not above ground but below it.
A city named for the god, kings who served him
The temple gave the capital its name: Thiruvananthapuram means “the city of Anantha”. In 1750 the ruler of Travancore, Marthanda Varma, formally dedicated his entire kingdom to Padmanabhaswamy and thereafter ruled as the god’s servant — Padmanabha Dasa — a title the royal family kept. The temple is built in a blend of Kerala and Dravidian styles, with a long pillared corridor and a granite gopuram rising around 100 feet over East Fort.
The sealed vaults
Beneath the temple are a series of underground vaults, or kallara, labelled A to F. In 2011, following a Supreme Court order, several were opened and inventoried — and what came to light was staggering: gold, jewels, coins and ceremonial objects accumulated over centuries, of a value that placed Padmanabhaswamy among the richest temples in the world. One vault, Kallara B, has remained unopened, wrapped in tradition, caution and legal dispute, and it is this closed door that has fed the temple’s modern legend.
Visiting
The temple is an active, strictly traditional place of worship. Only those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted inside, and a dress code is enforced: men wear a mundu without an upper garment, women a sari or set-mundu. Photography inside is not allowed. Even for those who cannot enter, the great gopuram and the temple tank are a powerful sight in the old heart of Trivandrum.
- Entry is restricted to those who profess the Hindu faith, with a strict traditional dress code (mundu for men, sari/set-mundu for women).
- Photography is not permitted inside the temple.
- Check the day’s darshan timings in advance — the temple opens in fixed morning and evening sessions.
- The temple sits at East Fort in the old city, easy to combine with Kuthiramalika Palace next door.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Padmanabhaswamy Temple famous for?
It’s a major Vishnu temple in Thiruvananthapuram — one of the 108 divya desams — with the deity shown reclining on the serpent Anantha. It became world-famous after a 2011 Supreme Court-ordered inventory of its underground vaults revealed an immense treasure, making it one of the richest temples on earth.
What is in the sealed vault of Padmanabhaswamy?
The opened vaults revealed vast quantities of gold, jewels and coins. One vault, Kallara B, has remained unopened amid tradition and legal dispute, so what it holds is not publicly known — which is the source of much of the temple’s modern mystery.
Can anyone enter the Padmanabhaswamy Temple?
No — entry is restricted to those who profess the Hindu faith, and a traditional dress code is enforced (men in a mundu without an upper garment, women in a sari or set-mundu). Photography inside is not allowed.