Indian temples exude grandeur that can leave you spellbound for the rest of your life! From splendid mandapas & garbhagrihas to finely carved gold-plated architecture, these timeless temples with immense wealth have shaped India’s historic & spiritual legacy since time immemorial.
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, one of the 108 divya Desams, located in Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala, is the richest Indian temple, venerated as the abode of Lord Vishnu, that possesses precious gold, jewels, valuables, and ornaments worth 1.2 Lakh Crores in its treasure.
Located in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, Venketeswara Temple, housing a self-manifested idol of Lord Vishnu, welcomes 50,000+ pilgrims every day. Lord Vishnu is worshipped here as Lord Venketeswara, Balaji, or Govinda. The estimated net worth of the temple is 3 Lakh Crores.
Guruvayur Temple, where the garbhagriha houses an idol of four-armed Lord Vishnu carrying Panchajanya (Shankh), Sudarshan Chakra, Kaumaudaki, lotus & tulsi garland. Temples’ reserves of material possessions are gold, gemstones, & bank deposits offered by devotees from around India with an estimated net worth of INR 2,500 Crores.
Puri Jagannath Temple, one of the Bada Char Dhams, is renowned for the grand Rath Yatra, a chariot festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped as ‘Lord of the Universe’. The temple owns 30,000 acres of land and other precious gold & ornaments, and has a treasure with an estimated net worth of INR 150 Crores.
One of the wealthiest Indian Shrines, the Golden Temple’s radiant architecture has made it more than just a gurudwara, but an infrastructure wonder that has left pilgrims awestruck. Golden Temple, Amritsar, is renowned for free meals, langar service to all, symbolising unity & harmony, and has an estimated net worth of INR 500 Crores.
The most magnificent and impressively built, Madurai’s Meenakshi Amman temple is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi, featuring sculpted brilliance in its lofty gopurams, beautifully carved pillars, and mandapams. Renowned for the Dravidian style of architecture, it is one of the most expensive temples in India. It possesses a massive wealth through donations and events worth 6 Crores.
Shri Siddhivinayak Mumbai Temple’s garbha griha houses a black idol of Lord Ganesha made of 4 kg gold, with a right-sided trunk, often worshipped as ‘Vignahartha’. The temple is built in a castle-like structure, with gold-plated domes, receiving offerings of 30 Lakhs daily, whereas the temple’s net worth is 125 Crores.
Shirdi’s famous Sai Baba Temple honours Sai Baba, a great spiritual saint who is renowned for his teachings, Shraddha (faith) & Saburi (patience). The temple offers free meals to thousands and other services to the needy, and has a net worth of over 400 Crores.
Somnath, the first among the 12 holy Jyotirlingas, showcases a Chalukya style of architecture, featuring intricate carvings on its pillars and a towering shikhara. Pulling in millions of pilgrims every single day, Somnath Jyotirlinga has reserves of 130 kg of gold in its treasure and over 1,700 acres of land.