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Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, the richest Temple/Religious Centre in the World.

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#1 · (Edited)


Legend And History

The origin histories of the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy, known to the most of the rest of India as “Ananthasayanam”, are lost in antiquity. It is not possible to determine with any exactitude, from any reliable historical documents or other sources that when and by whom the original idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy was set up at this location. Some well known scholars, writers and historians, like the Late Dr. L.A.Ravi Varma of Travancore, have expressed the view that this Temple was established on the first day of Kali Yuga (which is over 5000 years ago). The story of the Temple are handed down through the centuries in the form of legends. One such legend which finds a place in the old palm leaf records of the Temple, as also in the famous grantha entitled “Ananthasayana Mahatmya”, mentions that it was set up by a Tulu Brahmin hermit named Divakaramuni on the 950th day of Kali Yuga.

The story as narrated in the Ananthasayana Mahatmya goes as follows.

Divakara muni wasa great Vishnu Bhaktha ans was at that time doing penance and in deep tapas in ‘Aatharta’ Desa. One day Maha Vishnu appeared before the sage in the form of a lively and beautiful 2-year old boy without revealing his real identity. The sanyasi wasvery much taken up with the charms of the child and because of the affection he involuntarily felt for him, he prevailed upon the god-child to stay with him. The child made one condition that the sanyasi should treat him with respect at all times and at any time he fails he fails to do so he (the child) would go away that very moment. This was accepted and so the child stays with him. The hermit gave him a great deal of loving care and tolerated the childish pranks of the little boy. One day, when the sanyasi was in deep meditation at his prayers, the chills took the ‘salagram’ which the sanyasi was using for worship and put it into his mouth and made such a nuisance of himself that Divakara Mini was greatly angered and could tolerate it no further. He thereupon chastised the child. In accordance with the earlier agreement, immediately the child ran away and disappeared from the spot. While going he said, “If you wish to see me again, you will find me again in Ananthankaadu”. It was only then that Divakara Muni realized who his erstwhile child guest had been. The hermit was stricken with inconsolable grief and for many days followed what, he believed was the route taken by the child foregoing food, rest and sleep in the process. Finally he reached a wooded area near the sea coast and then caught a glimpse of the Child disappearing into a huge ‘Ilappa’ tree standing nearby. Immediately that tree fell into the ground and it assumed that shape of recumbent Sree Maha Vishnu. That divine form had its head at ‘Thiruvallam’ (a place about 3 miles distant from the Fort, at where the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy situates) and its feet at ‘Trippapur’ (5 miles away in the opposite direction). Overawed by the majesty and the size of the divine form, which thus manifested itself before him, the sanyasi prayed that the Lord condense himself in size so that it would become possible for him to contain the divine presentation within his limited field of vision. Thereupon the image of Bhagwan Vishnu shrank to a size, three times of the length of the sanyasy’s ‘Yoga dand’. Immensely gratified that his prayers had been granted, he made whatever offerings he could and conducted pooja to that wooden image. The lord havind been pleased ordained that from then onwards, poojas to Him at that place should be conducted by Tulu Brahmins from the same part of the country as Divakara Mini himself hailed. To this day half the number of ‘poojaris’ (priests) in this Temple continue to be drawn from the Tulu country.

Another generally accepted version about the origin of the Temple relates it to the famous sanyasi Vilvmangalathu Swamiyar, whose name is linked with the histories of several temples in Southern India. This swamiyar hailed from the Namboothiri Brahmin community and was a very dedicated Vishnu bhaktha. The legend that connects him with this Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy is in detail almost identical with the Divakara Muni tale related above. It is said that, when Sree Maha Vishnu presented himself in the “Ananthasayana” rupa (model) before the sage at Ananthankaadu, the latter had nothing worthwhile to offer him. From a mango tree standing nearby he plucked a few unripe fruits and put them into an empty coconut shell lying thereabout and in all humility offered it as ‘nivedyam’ to the Lord. Even today one of the pooja vessels in use in the temple for he offerings of nivedyams to the presiding deity consists of a gold encased half-coconut shell and one of the important items of nivedyam in vogue from time immemorial is unripe whole mangoes pickled in brine. It has also been the practice in the Temple during the past several centuries for the morning ‘pushpanjaly’ pooja is to be conducted by a Namboothiri Brahmin sanyasi (designated pushpanjaly Swamiyar) specially commissioned for this purpose.

These traditional customs coupled with the fact that the Pushpanjaly swamiyar holds a position of importance in the ‘Ettara Yogam’ (a committee which, at one time in the distant past, was the governing body of the Temple but has, over the years, become a ceremonial and advisory panel) lend substance and some measure of credence to the theory that this Temple was founded by Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar. On the other hand the claim of the Divakara Muni story can only be substantiated by the presence, among the accredited poojaris, of a large number of Tulu Brahmins.However, it is noteworthy that at no time did this community have a place in the ‘Ettara Yogam’. Besides being presented on the ‘Yogam’, the Namboothiri Brahmins also have a position of eminence in the rituals and ceremonies of the temple in that the Tantris(Main priests) have always been drawn from this community. It is also believed that the small Sree Krishna swamy temple, located near the
Western Swamiyar Madam (Official residence of one of the two pushpanjaly Swamiyars of the Temple) has been built over the Samadhi of Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar.

Some historians and researchists hold the view that the Thiruvambadi shrine of Sree Krishnaswamy, which is a separate temple located within the main temple walls, is older than the shrine of Sree Padmanabhaswamy. According to legend the shrines consecrated to Sree Narasimhaswamy and Sree Sastha, which are located inside the temple walls, were established at various times after the main shrine of Sree Padmanabhaswamy came into being. There is mention in the ‘Bhagavatha Purana’ (canto 10, chapter 79) that Sree Bala Rama visited “Spanandoorapuram” in the course of his pilgrimage and the belief is that this refers to the shrine of “Ananthasayanam” in “Thiru Ananthapuram”. Similarly in the ‘Brahmanda Purana’ also there is a reference to “Syanandoorapura”. All these lend considerable weight to the wide spread belief that this Temple is of great age and has been held in veneration over the centuries as an important shrine of Sree Maha Vishnu. The compositions of Nammalvar, the great Vaishnavite saint in praise of Sree Maha Vishnu, prove beyond doubt that this Temple existed in the fifth century of this era.Records indicate that from very early days the management of the Temple ws in the hands of a local committee called the ‘Ettara Yogam’ mentioned earlier. Old palm leaf records also show that the foundations for the first properly constructed Temple buildings were laid by the saint and ruler named Cheraman Perumal. He is also credited with having commissioned various persons to attend to the multifarious duties connected with the rituals, ceremonials and general administration of the Temple. Very many years later, about the year 1050A.D., the Temple was reconstructed and the management re-organized by the then ruler.

The next important recorded events relate to the period 1335 A.D. to 1384 A.D. when Travancore (as known then) was ruled by a powerful and wise king named Veera Marthanda Varma. He gradually established his authority completely over the management and administration of the Temple. There are records to indicate that in the year 1375 A.D. the Alpasi Utsavam (alpasi festival, one of the two important half yearly 10 days festivals which take place regularly even these days) was conducted in the Temple. Some of the important events relating to the Temple which took place after the demise of this Ruler until 1729 A.D. are given below.

  • Between 1459 A.D. and 1460 A.D. the idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy was removed to a ‘Balalaya’ for the purpose of re-construction of the roof of the sanctum sanctorum.
  • About the middle of 1461 A.D. after the reconstruction, the idol was re installed in the old location and an Ottakkal Mandapam (Single granite stone slab abutting from the sanctum sanctorum) was put up.
  • In 1566 A.D. the foundations was laid for the Gopuram (pagoda) over the main eastern entrance.
  • In 1686 A.D. there was a serious fire resulting in the total destruction of the entire temple building, structures and fittings with the exception of the main idol. Work on the re-construction of the Temple wasstarted only in 1724.
  • In 1728 A.D. propitiatory ceremonies, connected with the serious fire of 1686, were conducted.
It was in the year 1729 that the great ruler Marthanda Varma became the king of Travancore. He made plans for reconstructing the Temple and in 1729 put the work under way. In 1730 the idol was again moved to ‘balalaya’ preparatory to the renovation and reconstruction of the sanctum sanctorum. In the end of the next year the work completed. The old wooden idol was replaced with a new one fashioned out of 12000 ‘salagrams’ moulded into shape with a particular kind of mortar made of ‘kadusharkara’. This is the idol which is even today worshipped and seen in the sanctum sanctorum and to which all poojas are offered. The Mandapam in front of the idol was re-built with one single slab of granite which is two and a half feet thick and twenty feet square.
It was during this Ruler’s time that most of what is seen today within the walls of the temple was constructed. It is on record that daily 4000 stone artisans, 6000 labourers and 100 elephants worked for a period of 6 months to finish the construction of the sreebalippura (corridor). This magnificent rectangular corridor built of stone surrounds the main shrines and is meant for providing protection from the weather for the deities when taken out in ritualistic processions. The ‘Gopuram’ for which foundations had been laid in 1566, was built in this period. Similarly the ‘flag-staff’ in front of the main shrine was also erected at this time. The special Teak log was brought from the forest 30 miles away by men and elephants without touching the ground, as laid down in the sastras. The Teak pole was then covered completely with gold sheets. The renovation of the Temple tank, the Padmatheertham, including the stone flagging of the steps and its completion in the form we see it today was also undertaken during this great ruler’s time.

Deities

  • Sree Ananthapadmanabhaswamy
  • Agrashaala Ganapathi
  • Sree Yoga Narasimha Moorthi
  • Thiruvambadi Sreekrishnaswamy
  • Sreesastha (Sree Aathibhootha Nathan)
  • Kshethra Paalan
  • Agrashaala Ganapathi
  • Hanuman
  • Garuda
  • Sreerama with Seetha & Lekshmana
  • Vishwaksenan
  • Sree Veea Vyasar & Ashwathama

Attractions

Ottakkal Mandapam

The Ottakkal mandapam in the Sreepadmanabha swamy temple is a striking feature. The Mandapam is in front of the idol of Sreepadmanabhaswamy. This structure is built with one single slab of granite which is two and a half feet thick and twenty feet square. The abhishekams to Sreepadmanabhaswamy are performed in this mandapam. The pillars in this mandapam are covered with gold sheets.

Abhisheka Mandapam

This structure is in front of the Ottakkal Mandapam. This is the mandapam where the special poojas related with the temple festival and other special occasions are performed and the items for the poojas are get redied. Devotees can also use this mandapam for meditation and prayer.

Kulasekhara Mandapam

It is a marvelous and fantastic architectural work which is only on stone. It is also known as Aayiramkal Mandapam and Sapthaswara Mandapam. It is noted with its pillars which produces musical sounds when tapped. Inside this there are 28 big pillars around the mandapam. Of these on the pillars of the corner sides of the mandapam we can 11 pillars around itself. These small pillars can produce the musical notes and some musical instruments’ sounds when tapped. On the other pillars we can see some statues. On the top side of the walls the Ramayanam story is depicted. Also we can see a bell and chain in the middle of the mandapam which is made on stone. Restricted entry is allowed.

The Golden flag-staff (Dwaja Stambham)

An eighty feet height flag-staff stands in front of the main temple. The special Teak log was brought from the forest 30 miles away by men and elephants without touching the ground, as laid down in the sastras. The Teak pole was then covered completely with gold sheets. On the top of the flag-staff there is a statue of Garuda.

Gopuram

The temple has a seven storeyed gopuram. It situates on the main east entrance of the temple facing the east. It is a fine example of South Indian architecture. It has about 35 meters height. Standing on the top we can see the places around it. On the top of the gopuram we can see 7 domes of gold which is lined and glitter brightly in day light. The 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu are displayed inside the first storey of the gopuram. Restricted entry is allowed.

The Sreebalippura (Corridor)

The temple has a sreebalippura. This magnificent rectangular corridor built of stone surrounds the main shrines and is meant for providing protection from the weather for the deities when taken out in ritualistic processions. It is a marvelous architecture on stones. It is on record that daily 4000 stone artisans, 6000 labourers and 100 elephants worked for a period of 6 months to finish the construction of the sreebalippura (corridor). Around the sreebaippura we can see 365 and a one quarter pillars with attractive carvings. Each pillars are made on a single stone.

Padma Theertham

The padmatheertham pond is located on the eastern side of the temple. This is the temple tank and is one of the oldest water bodies in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. Restricted entry is allowed for the devotees.

The Dravidian Style

Padmanabhaswamy temple is the only major specimen of the Dravidian style of architecture found in the State of Kerala.

Temple Architecture

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is renowned for its sculptural beauty. With the ancient work of art in stone and bronze, the mural paintings and wood carvings, this ancient temple is a fine specimen of the Dravidian style of architecture. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands majestically beside the holy tank, named Padma Theertham (meaning the lotus spring). The tower at the entrance is a seven-storey and about 35 meter (100 foot) in height. Decked with beautiful stone carvings, this tower is constructed in South Indian architecture. There is an eighty-foot flag post (Dhwaja stambha) in front of the temple which is covered with gold plated copper sheets.

Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple has some interesting features such as the Bali Peeda Mandapam and Mukha Mandapam. These halls are decorated with beautiful sculptures of various Hindu deities. Another notable part is the Navagraha Mandapa whose ceiling displays the Navagrahas.

Broad Corridor with 365 and 1/4 Sculptured Granite Stone Pillars

Extending from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum is a broad corridor which has 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with beautiful carvings. The remarkable touch of the artisans is felt in a piece of carving which has the figure of an elephant on one side and that of a bull on the other. It is notable that the horns of the bull look like the tusks of the elephant when seen from the other side and the trunk of the elephant seems like the hump for the bull.

There is a ground floor under the gopuram (main entrance in the eastern side) which is known as the 'Nataka Sala'. Here the famous temple art of Kerala, the Kathakali, was staged in the night during the annual ten-day Padmanabhaswamy Temple Festival (Uthsavam), held during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam.

Temple Timings

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple opens daily at 03:30 AM and closes at 07:20 PM. However, there are specific timings for darshan.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Darshan Timings in Morning


03:30 AM to 04:45 AM
06:30 AM to 07:00 AM
8.30 AM to 10:00 AM
10:30 AM to 11:00 AM
11:45 AM to 12:00 PM

Evening Darshan Timings of Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple


05:00 PM to 06:15 PM
06:45 PM to 07:20 PM

Please note that the temple worship timings are subject to change during festival occasion.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Dress Code

Only Hindus are permitted inside the temple. And dress codes are to be strictly followed before entering the temple. Men should wear 'Mundu' or 'Dhoti' while visiting the temple. They also have to remove shirt or t-shirt above waist. Women have to wear Sari (Saree), Mundum Neriyathum (set-mundu), Skirt and Blouse, or Half Sari. This means no pants for men or churidhar for women is allowed inside the temple.

Dhotis are available for rent near temple locker room. Nowadays temple authorities allow to wear Dhotis over pants or churidhar for the convenience of devotees. The locker room near the temple main entrance offers Dhotis for rent. Cell Phones, Cameras, or any other Electronic Equipments are not allowed to be used inside the temple.

Pooja Details

Here are the details of Poojas that can be performed by devotees at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

General Archanas

Astothara Archana
Sahasranama Archana
Veeda Manthrarchana
Santhanagopala Archana
Vidhya Rahagopala Archana
Swayamvara Archana
Dhanwanthari Archana
Sudarshana Archana
Lekshminarayana Archana

Sooktam Archanas - Suktham

Purusha Sooktam
Bhoo Sooktha
Purusha Sooktam
Sree Sooktham
Bhaghya Sooktham
Aikyamathya Sooktham
Narayana Sooktham
Samvatha Sooktham

Abhishekams and Offerings

Aval (Sree Krishna Swamy)
Aravana
Panchamritham
Thrimadhuram
Unniyappam (Unni Appam)
Modakam (for Sree Ganapathi)
Paal Payasam
Ghee Payasama
Sharkara Payasam
Pongal
Ottayada
Idichu Pizhinja Payasam
Milk Abhishekam
Nei Vilakku
Vada Mala (Sree Hanuman Swamy)

Offerings

Here rice is offered to the Lord in coconut shell. Paal Payasam (Milk Kheer), Unni Appam and Aval with sugar are the other main offerings to Lord Padmanabhaswamy.
  • Muzhukkappu
  • Valiyalangaram
  • Panchamrutham
  • Ksheerabhishekam
  • Neivilakku
  • Aravana
  • Unniyappam
  • Pongal
  • Ponnum seeveli
  • Thulabharam

The idol of Lord Narasimha is offered with Panakam during Thursdays.

Aval Nivedyam is the main offering to Thiruvambadi Lord Krishna.

How to Reach

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple can easily be accessed by road being its ideal location near the City Bus Station in East Fort, Thiruvananthapuram. The inter-state highway, National Highway 47 (NH 47) connects Thiruvananthapuram to all major cities and nearby states including Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Nagercoil, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is the nearest railway station, just 1 km away from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is one of the major railway stations in Kerala, managed by Southern Railways.

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, around 4 km from the city center, is the nearest airport.
 
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#177 ·
SC appoints panel to supervise work at Padmanabhaswamy Temple


NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today appointed a five-member expert committee to supervise the unearthing and preservation of assets of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala.


The committee will be headed by Director General of National Museum C V Ananda Bose and will also consist of representatives of the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI )) and and Reserve Bank of India ( RBI )).

Virtually taking over the work of monitoring unearthing of assets, a bench headed by justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik said that the expert committee would submit its report only to this court.

The court also appointed a three-member committee to oversee the work of unearthing of temple assets.

Criticising media reports on the worth of temple assets, the court asked the press to show care and restrain from such speculation.

The three-member overseeing committee will consist of retired judge of Kerala High Court, Justice M N Krishnan , the erstwhile Prince of Travancore Marthanda Varma and a government representative of the rank of secretary.

The court also directed that no unauthorized person will be allowed to be present at the site of unearthing of assets and directed that the entire process be videographed and photographed.

The bench directed the state government to provide adequate security in the temple premises to protect the assets which according to media reports are estimated to be over Rs 1.50 lakh crore.

The apex court passed the order on an application filed by Marthanda Varma and his other family members, challenging a Kerala High Court ruling of January 31 this year, ordering takeover of the assets and management of the shrine by the state.

The bench had earlier expressed apprehension that the massive wealth was perhaps at a "risk" in view of the widespread publicity given about it in the media.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...admanabhaswamy-temple/articleshow/9308509.cms
 
#178 ·
A kingdom and a temple

Interview with Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma.




Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, 89, is the seniormost member of Travancore's erstwhile royal family, yet simple and unassuming in his manner. He met A. Srivathsan, Deputy Editor of The Hindu on July 17 at the Pattom Palace in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram and answered questions regarding the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple — which is in the news in the context of valuable finds in its underground vaults in recent weeks — and his family's association with it. For reasons to do with the ongoing legal proceedings, he expressed his inability to answer any questions relating to the opening of the temple vaults. Excerpts from the interview:

The Travancore royal family took a different approach to ruling its territories and managing the properties of the State. The king served as Padmanabha Dasa — [who] ruled on behalf of god and swore allegiance only to god. In 1949, Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma came close to refusing the post of Rajpramukh because he could not “give oath to the Indian government.” What led the Travancore kings to take to the idea of dasa? In what way is this concept different from the modern idea of trusteeship?

There are two things to the idea of Padmanabha Dasa. One is the A to Z of the concept, which is new, and the other is the corollary, which is ancient. Let me explain the A to Z first. There was a king in England called Henry VIII. He had two passions: one, he wanted to change his wife, get a second one; and two, he wanted to impose a new faith. He asked his Cardinal to find a way to achieve this. When his Cardinal suggested that he start a new faith, the Church of England, the king asked how and why people would listen to him. The Cardinal had a simple answer. He advised him to add one more to his catalogue of names: Defender of the Faith. And then, if anyone goes against it, ‘your defence will be to go offensive,' he advised. That is Defender of the Faith, but we [the Travancore kings] are attendants of faith. That is a dasa.

The corollary of this concept is in the story of Bharata in the Ramayana. When Bharata refused to rule Ayodhya by himself, he took Rama's sandals, placed it on the throne, wore the robe of an ascetic and ruled on his brother's behalf. The god is the master.

When you are trustee, chairman, benefactor or president, your personality is still there. In this [dasa] nothing is there, you are nobody. You carry on your duty.

Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma was the first maharaja to usher in this concept of Padmanabha Dasa in the 18th century. What historical reasons led him to this principle?

His actions were not political but dharmic. How did Fleming discover penicillin? The idea was always there, but hidden. He only discovered it. The dasa concept was always there. It came to him [Anizhom Thirunal] as the conductor.

Was ruling the kingdom as a dasa one of the main reasons for the safety and stability of Travancore and the temple? Did it in any way change the attitude of other rulers towards Travancore?

History is there to prove it. It [ruling as a dasa] was driving that. Unfortunately the concept of dasa was not copied by other rulers. You may find it in Puri where the king sweeps the street with the silver broomstick before the car festival, or in Mewar where the king goes to the Eklangi temple as a Maharana, but enters the shrine as a servant. But nothing is as total as this.

Kalkulam, which was renamed as Padmanabhapuram by Anizhom Thirunal, was the capital before the capital was moved to Trivandrum. The Tiruvattar temple near Padmanabhapuram is ichnographically and architecturally similar to the Padmanabhaswamy temple. Is there any relation between the two temples?

Both are Padmanabhas and are equally venerated. However, there are some differences between the two temples. In Trivandrum, the reclining Vishnu is in yoga nidra and at Tiruvattar, the eyes are fully awake. His feet is on the right side here and there at Tiruvattar it is to the left. Here there is a Shiva icon below the arm of Vishnu but it is not this way there. Though the main deity in Tiruvattar is known as Adikesava [Adi meaning ancient], Trivandrum is also ancient. There is a bond between the two temples, but there are no temple traditions as of now that recall the shifting from Padmanabhapuram.

Raja Ravi Varma, another member of the Travancore royal family and renowned painter, spent an important part of his lifetime in Trivandrum. While he painted many gods and even printed them as oleographs, he never painted Padmanabha or the temple. How can we understand this conspicuous absence?

Certain things have to come from inside. It [painting] cannot be visualising norms. He probably felt Padmanabhaswamy was beyond his brush. Ravi Varma did a great service by not painting Padmanabha.

Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma, your elder brother, was the last ruler of Travancore. He is compared to Anizhom Thirunal in terms of devotion to the temple. You must have been a boy when his investiture ceremony took place. Can you recall your visits to the temple with him?

All of us were ardent devotees. My brother was elder to me by 10 years. I could not have gone with him to the temple.

His visits were his personal audience with the god as the king. But I have been going to the temple since I was eight years old and have attended various festivals along with family members.

Since 1991, after the demise of your elder brother, you've been going to the temple in his place. The respect and affection the people have for you and your family must be unchanged and quite visible.

Even before, they had affection. Even now, when everything is ex-, ex-… I'm still wanted in public functions. I do about 200 [functions] a year, [although] I'm nobody. No different from other people. They like, and I go.

The Travancore State and the Padmanabhaswamy temple witnessed momentous changes during Maharaja Chithira Thirunal's time. In 1936, the Padmanabhaswamy temple was the first in India to proclaim temple entry for all, which made Gandhiji describe Chithira Thirunal as a ‘Modern Ashoka.' In 1949 the princely states were abolished and the temple administration changed. In 1971, the privy purse was abolished and grants given to erstwhile rulers were stopped. But Chithira Thirunal still managed to support the temple from his private funds. Can you tell us how he faced these changes?

That is [change] part of life, otherwise we'll not be here. Even as a boy he understood it. In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi came [to Trivandrum] and at that time he was too young to rule. My aunt, his mother's elder sister, was the Regent. Gandhiji came and met her. ‘Is this the Maharani?' he enquired. He looked at her simple dress and asked: Where are the golden saris? Where are the jewels? He then asked her: ‘Is it not very unfair that around the temple in Vaikom, a dog, a cat, a cow, can walk, but a man cannot?' She said, yes. ‘Then why don't you do something about it?' he quizzed. ‘I am a Regent and only carrying on the administration till he grows up. Why don't you ask him [Chithira Thirunal]?' she urged. Gandhiji then asked him: ‘When you become the person in charge, will you allow everyone to enter temples?' As a young boy he said, ‘yes.' He took over in 1931 and granted temple entry in 1936. The remarkable thing was that there was no resistance [from the people who were associated with temple administration].

Did Chithira Thirunal want the administration of the temple to keep up with the times?

It [traditions] began somewhere and goes on as it changes. What has not changed is the [human] body.

Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi has mentioned in her book on the Padmanabhaswamy temple that for the first time, in the 1960s, a deva prasnam (astrological consultation) was conducted when Chithira Thirunal had to decide whether the temple could be electrified? Do you remember the moment?

Astrologers and tantris were consulted. Whenever you change a tradition, there is a problem. The government then said that we cannot burn coconut oil since it is for man. What can we do, they were in power. So we had to go for electrification. But it was done in the outside prakara or sivelippura, but not inside. The cheruchuttu, the inner enclosure, was not electrified. People also took to it since it made their job easier.

Can you tell us something more about the legends of the snake and protection of treasures? Have you heard about them from your family?

There are two kinds of snakes. One is naga, and it stays. The other is sarpa, which goes. It is misunderstood as a creature. They are messengers. I'll tell you an incident. We have a beautiful naga temple near Kuthira Malika [a palace near the Padmanabhaswamy temple]. I go there every ashlesham [ayilyam] day. On one of those days, people forgot to light the lamp in the main shrine. That night, a serpent came here [to his palace]. I knew something was wrong. Serpents are satya (true) creatures. It's more prevalent in Kerala.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/article2277295.ece?homepage=true
 
#179 · (Edited)
SC names panel to assess Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple treasure

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Thursday set up an experts committee to conduct an inventory of the treasure found from Kallara (vault) A of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala.

An apex court bench of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice A.K. Patnaik said the committee of five experts will videograph and photograph the articles found in Kallara A.

Diamonds, rubies, gold jewellery and other valuables worth an estimated Rs.1 lakh crore have been found in chambers of the temple by a Supreme Court-appointed team. Five of the six chambers of the temple have been opened so far.

The experts committee will categorise all the articles broadly under three heads - ornaments of historical, artistic and antique value, those which are of regular use, and those which are of monetary value only.

It will suggest steps for long-term preservation and security of the treasure and also the feasibility of setting up a high-security museum within the temple complex, the court said.

The committee will also examine the necessity of opening Kallara B, which remains closed, at all.

The committee will be headed by Director General of National Museum C.V. Ananda Bose.

The court has appointed another three-member committee, to be headed by Justice M.N. Krishnan, to oversee the operations of the experts committee.

The experts committee will report to the apex court only.

The court also restrained the media from speculating on the value of the temple's treasure.

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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has appointed a five-member panel to suggest preservation and security of the treasure unearthed at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Kerala.

The committee will be headed by director general of National Museum and will consist of representatives from the Archaeological Surey of India and the Reserve Bank of India.

The apex court has asked media not to speculate on the worth of assets of the temple before its valuation is done.

The court did not say anything on the opening of the unopened B vault.

The court had earlier reserved its order on the question of permitting inventory, videography and providing fool proof security to the temple treasure.
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#180 ·
Apologise, Hindu Aikya Vedi tells MLA

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With speculations rising over the worth of the assets discovered from the secret vaults of Sree Padmanabha Temple, opinions are also sprouting about what to do with the huge cache of wealth discovered.

Hindu Aikya Vedi has openly come out against the proposal of certain sections to use the wealth for public welfare. The comment made by Jameela Prakasam MLA that the wealth found in the temple belongs to the public is unacceptable, said Aikya Vedi district working president P Jyothindra Kumar in a statement here on Saturday.

Jameela Prakasam, while speaking in the Assembly, had said that the indiscriminate taxation practised by the erstwhile rulers of Travancore had contributed to this amassment of wealth. She even said that the valuable items, which belong to the State, should be transferred and stored in banks.

The Vedi demanded an immediate apology from Jameela Prakasam and alleged that there might be the involvement of vested interests behind these sort of statements. The wealth stored in the secret vaults of the temple belongs to the Lord Padmanabha, which was part of the offerings from the devotees and the royal family, it said.

The matters relating to the use of the wealth should be decided by the devotees, spiritual leaders and Hindu society, they added.

Dr Purushothama Bharathi, a PhD holder in Economics and State president of the Kerala Lottery Agents’ Association, has urged that the wealth, especially gold worth thousands of crores, should be used to generate an extra income that can be used for the development of the Temple and the Hindu community. The true value of the assets should be calculated and the gold should be kept as collateral in the Reserve Bank for issuing currency. The interest acquired from lending loans can be used for the welfare of the temple, devotees and the general public, he said.

Several other religious bodies and social organisations have made it clear that the wealth recovered from the Temple belongs to Lord Padmanabha and it should be preserved in the temple itself. “The wealth belongs to the Temple and the Temple belongs to the royal family.

The decision of the Government to preserve the wealth in the Temple is laudable,” said Chamackal Rajappan, secretary of the Kerala Social Service Sanghom.

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#181 ·
ajithv said:
SC names panel to assess Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple treasure
Happy to note that a familiar face is on the panel. Dr M.V. Nair, who is the country's foremost conservation expert, happens to be my father-in-law. :)
 
#190 ·
Supreme Court appoints two panels on Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple issue



Source : Kerala Kaumudi



Source : Metro Vaartha



Source : Malayala Manorama



Source : Mathrubhumi



The Supreme Court on Thursday appointed two committees —one with five members and the other with three — which will decide on the security, inventory, preservation and opening of kallara (secret vault) B in the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

A Bench of Justices R.V. Raveendran and A.K. Patnaik was passing an interim order on the appeals filed by the head of the erstwhile royal family of Travancore, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, and Rama Varma against a Kerala High Court judgment.

The High Court has ordered takeover of the assets and management of the shrine by the State.

The five-member panel would be headed by C.V. Ananda Bose, Director-General of the National Museum. The other members are M.V. Nair, one nominee from the Archaeological Survey of India, one member from the Reserve Bank of India and the Executive Officer of the temple.

The committee would examine whether there was need to open kallara B; to evaluate articles in kallaras A, C, D, E and F; organise an inventory of all valuables and take videography and photography.

It would examine what articles could be used for regular use in the temple; examine which articles could be kept for public view; draw a long-term plan for maintenance of the valuables and prepare a security scheme.

The three-member panel, headed by Justice M.N. Krishnan, retired High Court judge, would coordinate with the five-member committee in its working. The erstwhile Prince of Travancore, Marthanda Varma, and a government representative of the rank of Secretary would be the other members of this panel.

The Bench said both committees should cooperate with each other and no unauthorised person should be allowed to visit the vaults. It directed the Kerala government to provide adequate security on the temple premises to protect the assets.

Caution to media


The Bench cautioned the media not to speculate on the value of jewels and other articles in the kallaras as “no one knows the real value.” It asked the two committees to submit their reports only to the Supreme Court and posted further hearing to the first week of September.

On behalf of Mr. Marthanda Varma it was made clear that the jewellery and other offerings made to Lord Padmanabhaswamy belonged to the deity. “No part of it belongs to the family of Mr. Marthanda Varma. So also, whatever valuables that would be found in kallara B belonged to the deity and none else.”

It was suggested that the valuables having artistic value could be classified as artefacts, separated and kept safely; articles with no artistic or heritage value were to be separated and possibly disposed of and converted into cash for funding a Veda Patasala and a Thanthirika Peedom to impart training and groom temple priests.

‘Deva Prashnam'

However, Mr. Rama Varma opposed the opening of the cellar B, saying it was not at all advisable because the ‘serpent' sign visible at the entrance “indicates that it is not auspicious to open it.” He said “a decision on this may be taken after conducting the traditional ‘Deva Prashnam' so as not to incur the displeasure of the Lord. Opening the cellar without conducting ‘Deva Prashnam' will be contrary to the age-old religious custom and practice.”

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#194 ·
God’s own museum sought

July 20: Curator and artist, Mr Bose Krishnamachari, has given a report to the State Government, urging that the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple wealth be preserved in a ‘God’s Own Museum’ of international standards like the Smithsonian. In a paper presented to the additional chief secretary, Mr K Jayakumar, here on Tuesday, Mr Krishnamachari said the proposed museum should employ independent consultants to give advice on governance and structure.

The museum should have a board of trustees, director and chief curator, who will be responsible for highlighting the historical, geographic and contextual relevance of antiques, and the logic and flow of exhibitions. The head of marketing would be in charge of crafting and implementing brand strategy, market intelligence, marketing, communications, publications, community partnership, social media, audience development and service initiatives.

The museum should be housed in a new building. The world’s most accomplished museum architects should be invited to design it. The report cites a few museums, including the Smithsonian, USA, Vatican Museums and the British Museum, London. The revenue would be from tickets sold to visitors. But a tiered system should ensure that the museum is enjoyed by all cross sections of society. Entry fee could be comparable to those in other international museums @ `650 to Rs 1,000. Benefits should be given to Indian visitors, particularly seniors, students, artists, teachers and physically challenged.

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