The Trillion Dollar Treasure of Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The Trillion Dollar Treasure of Padmanabhaswamy Temple

India

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The famed Padmanabhaswamy temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu , the creator of the universe , inwards Thiruvananthapuram , inwards the Blue Planet of Kerala , has fascinated Republic of Republic of India for many years. In centuries by , kings too dynasties had donated gilded too jewels to the temple , sometimes weighing crown princes approaching adulthood too donating an equivalent weight inwards gold. It was rumored that these treasures are yet hidden within surreptitious vaults beneath the ancient temple.

Nobody knows how former the temple actually is. Some scholars say it was established over five ,000 years ago. Even every bit early on every bit ii ,500 years agone , Padmanabhaswamy temple was known for its unimaginable wealth. The temple is mentioned inwards several Hindu texts belonging to the menstruation betwixt 500 BC to 300 AD , wherein it was referred to every bit the "Golden Temple". Ancient Tamil literature too verse refer to the temple too fifty-fifty the urban centre every bit having walls of pure gold.

according to government too manufacture sources. But devotees too activists hold that the gilded belongs to the temple too should live left untouched.

As Republic of Republic of India debates who this fortune belongs , the authorities has tightened upward safety inwards the temple. To protect the massive wealth , a state-of-the-art safety organisation has been installed comprising of an aerial surveillance organisation , blast-proof perimeter walls , seismic sensors to protect the vaults from tunneling , surveillance cameras , baggage scanners , burglar alarms , too a visitor-tracking system.

An idol of Lord Vishnu made of pure gilded too weighing 32 kg , recovered from the hidden vaults of Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Photo credit: srirangaminfo.com

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Sources: Wikipedia / The New Yorker / Forbes / Scroll.in / srirangaminfo.com / www.sreepadmanabhaswamytemple.org

The Thousand Shrines of Sahasralinga

The Thousand Shrines of Sahasralinga

India

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There is a house inward the district of Uttara Kannada of Karnataka patch inward Republic of Republic of India , where hundreds of shrines of the Hindu god Shiva are carved inward the exposed rocks of the Shalmala riverbed together with on its banks. The site is called Sahasralinga , literally , “a K lingas” , together with is located inward the marrow of a woods inward the Western Ghats. The nearest town is Sirsi Taluk , some 17 km away. The best fourth dimension to catch the house is when the H2O score inward the river is depression , together with most of the shrines are visible along amongst their bases called “yonis”. Originally , every linga had a carved figure of the holy bull called Nandi facing it , but many of these convey been damaged together with some are missing. On the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri , a Hindu festival , thousands of pilgrims throng to this house to worship Lord Shiva.

The shrines are believed to convey been built on the social club of Sadashiva Raya , the manlike soul monarch of Sirsi , of the Vijayanagar Kingdom during 1678-1718. According to a local legend , the manlike soul monarch commissioned them on the belief that doing then mightiness aid him beget an heir to his kingdom.

Photo credit: Unique Creator/Wikimedia

It should move noted that places similar Sahasralinga are non uncommon inward India. In Orissa together with nigh Hampi inward Karnataka , at that topographic point are sites where hundreds of lingas are curved inward the rocks. But Sahasralinga is unique because the shrines are of diverse sizes together with scattered all over the river bed over a broad area. It’s hard to tell how many shrines are at that topographic point at Sahasralinga.

There is some other Sahasralinga , inward far away Kingdom of Cambodia , well-nigh 25 km from the famous Hindu temple of Angkor Wat. The house is called Kbal Spean , which way “Bridge Head” , but is unremarkably known every bit the “Valley of 1 K lingas”. Along amongst lingas , at that topographic point are diverse Hindu mythological motifs inward that river bed including depictions of Shiva , Vishnu , Brahma , Lakshmi , Rama , together with Hanuman , too every bit animals such every bit cows together with frogs.

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: Unique Creator/Wikimedia

Sources: Wikipedia / Deccan Herald

Jal Mahal: Jaipur’s Submerged Water Palace

Jal Mahal: Jaipur’s Submerged Water Palace

India

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Submerged inwards the waters of an artificial lake , inwards the “pink city” of Jaipur , inwards the patch of Rajasthan , Republic of Republic of India , is the beautiful marbled palace of Jal Mahal , or “Water Palace”. Not much is known virtually its history , except the fact that it was constructed yesteryear Maharaja Madho Singh inwards the 18th century —the precise appointment is unknown— every bit a identify for his duck hunting parties. Later , Madho Singh’s boy , Madho Singh II , enlarged the palace yesteryear adding a courtyard. Then , it vicious into disuse too remained terribly neglected for 2 centuries until its recent renovation inwards the 2000s.

Jal Mahal is a curious structure. It’s non precisely a palace , because at that spot are no habitable rooms to stay. Just a terrace garden where the Maharaja took leisurely walks. The palace is truly 5 stories tall , just solely the live on on flooring stays higher upwardly water. The lower 4 floors remain generally submerged when the lake is full.

The “Floating” Lake Palace of Udaipur

Photo credit: Barry & PK/Flickr

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Photo credit: Ankit Agarwal/Flickr

Photo credit: Jal Tarang

Photo credit: Jal Tarang

Sources: Wikipedia / Rajasthan Direct / Tourism India / Jal Tarang

Shani Shingnapur: The Village Without Doors

Shani Shingnapur: The Village Without Doors

India

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About 300 km eastward of Bombay , inward the remote Indian hamlet of Shani Shingnapur , law-breaking is a concept hence alien that villagers hither conduct hold stopped guarding their houses , their properties as well as their valuables. Nobody locks their cars as well as motorbikes anymore. Shopkeepers instruct out cash inward unlocked drawers overnight , as well as housewives maintain jewelry inward unlocked boxes , within houses that conduct hold no doors —just a wooden door frame amongst a drape drawn across to protect the privacy of the residents. Such is the organized faith the villagers conduct hold on their heavenly guardian , Lord Shani , who they believe protects them from thieves. The belief , that whoever steals anything from this house volition incur the wrath of Lord Shani —a Hindu god known for his mad temper as well as penchant for revenge— as well as volition conduct hold to pay dearly for their sins , has kept incorrect doers away from Shingnapur for the final 300 years.

A habitation inward Shani Shinganapur , Republic of Republic of India , where nearly all residences conduct hold no doors. Photo credit: Shashank Bengali / Los Angeles Times

Legend has it that hundreds of years agone , later a menstruation of intense pelting as well as flooding , a heavy slab of dark stone was works life washed upwards on the shores of a river that runs through the village. When locals touched the stone , the even out goes , that blood started oozing out of it. Then 1 nighttime , the hamlet caput had a dream inward which Lord Shani spoke to him as well as revealed that the slab was , inward fact , god himself. Shani instructed the villagers to maintain the stone inward the hamlet because he wished to remain in that place , as well as protect its people. But they should maintain the slab inward the opened upwards hence that he could oversee the village.

The side past times side solar daytime , the villagers dragged the stone to dry out dry reason as well as installed it on a roofless platform at the oculus of the village. They besides decided to create away amongst all doors as well as locks on their houses. With the Lord watching over them , they didn’t bespeak doors anymore. The tradition has continued since then.

Over the years , the lore has grown. Villagers are total of tales almost failed robbery attempts where thieves walk all nighttime thinking they conduct hold left the hamlet alone to discovery themselves yet inward the hamlet inward the morning. Apparently , they were walking inward circles. Another local lore says that 1 villager installed doors on his household as well as had a auto accident the really side past times side day.

The slab of stone , forthwith a shrine. Photo credit: www.mouthshut.com

Shingnapur remained inward obscurity until the 1990s , when it appeared on a Bollywood painting exhibit , later which it began drawing thousands of tourists as well as pilgrims from across the country. But according to some residents , the village’s crime-free picture is only a ploy to convey to a greater extent than tourist. They claim that piffling law-breaking as well as thefts happen all the fourth dimension but temple officials maintain everything hushed upwards to protect Shinganapur's reputation.

When a journalist visited Sonai Police Station final twelvemonth , nether which the jurisdiction of the hamlet barbarous earlier Shingnapur got its ain constabulary station , he works life 46 criminal cases registered from the hamlet inward the final vi twelvemonth , out of which eleven were cases of thefts. As 1 probes deeper , to a greater extent than instances of law-breaking laid about to emerge. One Shingnapur resident recalls how his mother's gilt necklace got stolen 1 nighttime from their household when he was yet a teenager. Pickpocketing is besides rampant around the temple surface area but they are seldom reported. The fact that Shingnapur has a constabulary station is a sign inward itself that its picture of a crime-free utopia is a myth.

The starting fourth dimension populace incident to stone the village’s reputation occurred inward 2010 when cash as well as items worth Rs. 35 ,000 were stolen from a vehicle. Then inward 2011 , cash as well as valuables were stolen from the habitation of a onetime temple trustee , as well as and hence over again inward Jan 2012 gilt ornaments were stolen from within the temple.

Another doorless household inward Shani Shingnapur. Photo credit: Punit Paranjpe/ AFP / Getty Images

Shani Shingnapur is forthwith changing. When a local banking concern opened a branch inward the hamlet inward 2011 , they installed a Plexiglas front end door amongst no padlocks to observe the village’s tradition , but the door is held close past times a remote-controlled electromagnetic lock. Many houses as well as local concern , particularly hotels , began installing sliding doors that slipped dorsum behind the wall , creating an illusion of a doorless entry. Even the temple keeps safety guards inward the premise along amongst baggage checks as well as safety cameras. Their donation box is kept locked.

Temple trustees as well as villagers , whose economic scheme depends on tourism , essay out difficult to maintain the village's reputation up. The constabulary station as well as the increased safety is for crowd management , non law-breaking patrol , they say. Some yet maintain that in that place are no crimes inward the hamlet , as well as that the constabulary station inward Shingnapur “is the alone 1 inward the entire province without doors” , blatantly ignoring the company wooden panels guarding its entrance.

Photo credit: www.surfolks.com

Sources: BBC / LA Times / Open

Rama’s Bridge: H5N1 Bridge Built By Monkeys

Rama’s Bridge: H5N1 Bridge Built By Monkeys

India

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In the bang-up Indian epic of Ramayana , penned several one 1000 years agone , writer Valmiki speaks of a twosome over the sea connecting Republic of Republic of India in addition to Sri Lanka. The epic poetry form , that stretches for nearly 24 ,000 verses , narrates the life of the divine prince Rama in addition to his fighting to rescue his abducted married adult woman Sita from the demon Rex Ravana , the ruler of Sri Lanka.

Rama , the crown prince , was forced to relinquish his correct to the throne in addition to operate into exile for 14 years. During his rest inwards the woods , his married adult woman Sita was abducted past times the evil demon Rex Ravana in addition to taken to Sri Lanka. Rama organized an regular army consisting of monkeys in addition to led them to Sri Lanka , where a lengthy nation of war broke out. In the halt , Ravana was defeated , in addition to Rama returned habitation amongst his married adult woman to last crowned king.

In the flush , when Rama’s regular army reaches the sea across which lies the isle of Sri Lanka , the apes fix a floating twosome across the sea past times writing the holler of Rama on the stones in addition to tossing them into the water. According to the legend , the stones didn’t sink because they had Rama's holler written on them. Rama’s regular army in addition to so used the twosome to cross the sea towards Sri Lanka.

If yous await at satellite photos of this share today , yous volition break a faint hint of a connecting strip betwixt the 2 countries. This so called Rama's Bridge or Rama Setu , equally good known equally Adam’s Bridge , is a long , twisting stretch of shoal in addition to sandbank connecting the Indian isle of Rameswaram , off the southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu , to Mannar Island , off the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka. The twosome is most l km long. Much of it is nether H2O today , merely centuries agone , it formed an intermittent , merely otherwise venture , connecting link betwixt Republic of Republic of India in addition to Sri Lanka. The causeway existed equally belatedly equally the 15th century in addition to was passable on human foot , equally per records kept at the Rameswaram temple , until it was flooded inwards a storm.

The beingness of the twosome has been known inwards Republic of Republic of India equally good equally Sri Lanka since ages , equally evident from the legend perpetuated past times the ancient epic of Ramayana. For equally long equally anybody could think , the sea separating the 2 countries has been called Sethusamudram important "Sea of the Bridge". The ninth century Western Farsi geographer , Ibn Khordadbeh , mentioned the twosome inwards his Book of Roads in addition to Kingdoms , referring to it is Set Bandhai or "Bridge of the Sea". The holler “Adam’s Bridge” is an early-19th-century British excogitation —a reference to an Abrahamic myth that Adam used the twosome to cross from Sri Lanka to India.

Rama’s regular army of monkeys edifice the rock twosome to Sri Lanka.

Many orthodox Hindus reckon the beingness of the twosome to last an unshakable proof of Ramayana itself , in addition to the stories described inwards it. Pseudo-scientists , conspiracy theorist , in addition to theologians believe that the twosome was truly built past times Rama in addition to his regular army of monkeys. When a NASA photograph of the share showing a meandering causeway disappearing into the distance was released inwards 2002 , online conspiracy theorists went off on a wild goose chase trying to examine it was a man-made structure.

Although geologists demand keep repeatedly tried to debunk the myth , at that topographic point is nonetheless a various make of persuasion in addition to confusion most the nature in addition to root of this structure. There are some one-half a dozen dissimilar theories that endeavor to explicate the structure. One attributes it to continuous sand deposition in addition to the natural procedure of sedimentation leading to the formation of a chain of barrier islands , piece some other suggest that the twosome may last an sometime shoreline , implying that the 2 landmasses of Republic of Republic of India in addition to Sri Lanka were ane time connected. Studies demand keep variously described the construction equally a chain of shoals , coral reefs , a ridge formed inwards the share owing to thinning of the Earth's crust , a double tombolo , a sand spit , or barrier islands.

Things got a trivial heated when the Government of Republic of Republic of India proposed dredging through Rama's Bridge inwards social club to exercise a transportation road inwards the shallow straits betwixt Republic of Republic of India in addition to Sri Lanka. Right straight off , ships trying to motion betwixt India's westward in addition to eastward coasts demand keep to acquire unopen to Sri Lanka. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 long deepwater channel connecting the Palk Strait amongst the Gulf of Mannar would cutting over 400 km off the voyage saving both fourth dimension in addition to money. But ultra-right fly Hindu organizations strongly opposed the projection maxim that the twosome is a “religious monument” in addition to should non last destroyed.

The projection is currently on concur , merely for to a greater extent than coherent reasons. Environmentalists nation that dredging a channel would destroy corals , piece equally good harming the line-fishing reserve inwards the expanse , throwing the ecology inwards the share off balance. Besides , the sandbank provides natural protection against seismic sea wave waves traveling from the eastward to the westward coast in addition to vice versa. The regime is straight off considering an alternate road that doesn’t involve destroying Rama's Bridge.

A carved rock relief at Prambanan Temple , on the isle of Java inwards Republic of Indonesia , shows monkeys helping Rama past times bringing stones for edifice the bridge. Photo credit: Margery H. Freeman

Aerial watch of Adam's Bridge , taken piece flight over Sri Lanka looking west. Photo credit: PlaneMad/Wikimedia

Landsat vii Imagery of Adam's Bridge. Photo credit: NASA

Sources: Wikipedia / Srilanka.travel / Ian Chadwick