Inside India’s Wealthiest Hindu Sacred Sites And Their Untold Riches
India is home to numerous ancient temples that are not only revered for their spiritual significance but also renowned for their immense wealth.
Over the span of hundreds of years, these holy sites have accumulated unimaginable riches through the resolute faith of devotees and their generous offerings.
Three stand out in particular — the Tirumala Tirupati Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, along with the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and Guruvayur Temple in Kerala — for their architecture and opulence.
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It is interesting to note that all three of India's richest temples have some form of Lord Vishnu as their chief deity.
Here’s a look at the three temples in detail:
Tirumala Tirupati Venkateswara Temple
Situated atop the hills of Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, this temple is not only one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites but also among the wealthiest temples on the planet. Built in the third century, it is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Vishnu. It has been a center point for devotion for 1,700 years. Different dynasties, including the Pallavas, Cholas and Vijayanagara Empire, have contributed to its growth and prosperity over time.
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The net value stands at $40 billion, which exceeds the market cap of many well-known international companies. Donations from devotees, landed properties and gold deposits account for a major part of the temple’s wealth. The temple receives around 50,000 to 100,000 visitors daily.
This sacred institution is managed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. The temple’s board is considered one of the wealthiest religious organizations globally, with massive land banks and buildings apart from cash and gold deposits across various banks. As per the TTD whitepaper of September 2022, TTD had fixed deposits worth $1.9 billion with several banks. The gold deposits made by the TTD have also increased rapidly in recent years.
Money isn’t all this temple is known for. It has one more unique feature — devotees can donate their hair. The daily collection of hair is over a ton, which is then auctioned, contributing significantly to income generation for the temple. TTD also runs various educational institutions, hospitals and charitable trusts that are funded by revenues generated through temple donations from adherents.
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
This ancient shrine, located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, stands out with its blend of architectural styles. Built In the third century, Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his reclining form called Anantha Padmanabha.
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In the sanctum sanctorum of this temple, there lies an imposing idol measuring 18 feet tall made out of 12,008 sacred salagramams brought from Nepal. Over the centuries, the management of this temple has been under the royal family of Travancore.
However, what make this temple truly unique are the unimaginable riches found inside its underground vaults when they were opened on orders given by the Indian Supreme Court in 2011 to assess assets held within them. Gold, jewels and other precious artifacts beyond anyone’s imagination were discovered.
At that time, the treasure was valued at approximately $13 billion and contained, among other things, solid gold idols, bars and diamond-studded crowns, as well as countless precious stones.
The temple's staggering wealth includes a 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) gold sheaf, an 80-pound (36-kilogram) golden veil and 1,200 gold coin chains studded with precious stones. Many sacks filled with golden objects also bear witness to this fact. The treasure also includes antique silverware along with bronze and brass articles, besides rubies, emeralds, diamonds and more. Moreover, one of the six underground vaults has not been opened, and two more vaults were discovered later on.
Guruvayur Temple
Another popular Hindu temple known for its wealth and religious importance is the Guruvayur Temple in the Thrissur district of Kerala. This shrine is dedicated to Lord Krishna, an eighth incarnation avatar of Vishnu.
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The history of the temple dates back to the 14th century. It is believed that Vishwakarma, a divine architect, built it. The idol of Krishna worshipped here is unique, as it depicts the deity with four arms, holding a conch, discus, mace and lotus. The temple follows strict religious practices and rituals laid down by Adi Shankara and was later formally written by Chennas Ravinarayanan Nambudiri in the 16th century.
The net worth of the temple is reported to be approximately $13 billion. It also owns 271 acres of land whose exact value is yet to be assessed and great quantities of gold, silver and precious stones, which have been obtained from devotees over many years. However, these details have not been publicly disclosed by authorities due to security reasons, they say.
The income from the sale of prasadam — mainly the famous "Guruvayur Appam” — has also contributed towards sustaining the temple annually, in addition to the 10-day Guruvayur Ekadasi festival.
Despite having enormous wealth, the Guruvayur Temple is famous for its philanthropic work. Several educational institutions, hospitals and charitable trusts providing aid to those in need are run by it, while thousands get free meals daily at their on the site.
Suraj Santlani is a freelance writer. He can be reached at imsurajmls@gmail.com.