Situated in Trivendram, Kerala, Padmanaabh (or Padmanaabham, or Padmnaabh Swaamee) temple is dedicated to Vishnu. It is inside the East Fort, in Thiruvananthapuram. It is the only temple of Vishnu where Vishnu can be seen in lying state on Shesh Naag bed and a lotus stem is emerging from His navel and Brahmaa Jee is sitting over the lotus flower. This posture is called as Ananat Shayanam posture also.

Shree Anant Padmanaabh Swaamee Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desham of Vishnu. Divya Desams are the holiest abodes of the Lord Vishnu that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil saints. It is also one of the seven Parashuraam Kshetra in Kerala.

Its idol is also very special. The 18-foot idol is made up of 12,008 Shaal Graam stones  that compose the reclining Lord. They are special because they are from Nepaal, from the banks of river Gandakee River and they were brought to the temple with all pomp and gaiety on elephant top. On top of them "Katusarkara Yogam", Nava Ratna, a special Aayurvedik mix, was used to give a plaster over it. Followers believe that the Lord has personally come in disguise to save the Travancore Kingdom from the clutches of enemies.

Opening of its 6 Vaults
Its four vaults were opened without any noticeable even but the people got scared to open the last two vaults. When vault A was opened, lots of gold was found there, but when the vault B was tried to open people found a snake on the door. Besides, the person who initiated to open the vaults of the temple, TP Sundara Rajan, also died untimely after a few days of opening the vault A. His untimely death led to comparisons with the supposed curse upon those who, in 1922, opened the Tomb of the Egyptian King Tutankhamun - which was also guarded by a snake. many astrologers suggested to seek divine guidance to open the vault B - Ashtmangal Dev Prashnam, and then suggested that opening the vault B will displease the Lord. One attempt to pen it in July failed and after that no attempt has been made to open it.

Nearly 40 people were involved in the inspection of vault A - jewelers, technicians to provide oxygen to the underground chambers and security personnels. Each person added to the team increased the risk of leak of the information. The vaults were inconspicuously tucked around the perimeter of the main temple, so the common people will not know that they were vaults. According to the protocol of the temple, three people were necessary to open the vault along with 12 people on duty whose names have to be registered.

Two vaults on North-Western sides were opened 8 times a year to bring out the ornaments for special occasions. Two other vaults had Poojaa items of daily use. Vaults A and B were never opened as there was no need to do so. After the opening the vault A when they tried to open the vault B, the key did not work. The serpent image on the door of the vault B suggests that opening that vault might damage its structure.

Other Things
The temple has some 3,000 palm leaves bundles that contain records of donations, festivals etc. On one leaf it is written that the King must report to the Temple about his work everyday. Even today he goes there at 7.30 for 10 minutes.
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The Mysterious Last Door
Amazing legend. The mysterious last door at Padmanaabh Temple ( a secret door in this temple is holding secret knowledge ....the only snag is that it has been locked through sound waves from a secret chant lost in time). On the bequest of the Supreme Court of India its six secret vaults have already been opened. These vaults have been discovered 20 feet below the Temple and is an underground vault containing valuable gold, diamonds in the form of, jewelry, golden utensils, weapons, golden idols, golden elephants idols and diamond necklaces and bags full of golden coins of different nations, including Napoleon and Italian coins. With this wealth this temple has emerged the richest God on the earth and the world is looking at the opulence of this God with the mouths opened in a great shock and surprise.

This chamber is being considered as highly mysterious, sacred and risky and dangerous to unveil it. Because the steel door of the Chamber-B is having two big Cobra portraits on it and this door as no nuts, bolts or other latches. It is considered to be fixed to the secret chamber with the Naag Bandh or Naag Paash Mantra by the then Siddh Purush who lived during the reign of the King Maartand Varmaa in the 16th century. A door of such a secret vault can be opened only by a highly erudite Saadhu or Maantrik who are familiar with the knowledge of extricating Naag Bandh or Naag Paash by chanting Garud Mantra. So except in this way, the door can't be opened by any means by anyone. At present nowheree in India or in the world are such a highly sacred and powerful Siddh Purush or Yogee or Maantrik who know how to execute highly sacred Garud Mantra. If any human attempts are made with man-made technology to open the mysterious Chamber-B other than by chanting highly sacred and powerful Garud Mantra by sacred Saadhu or Maatrk, catastrophes are likely to occur in and around the Temple premises or throughout India or even throughout the world according to Vaidik astrologers of India who have also revealed their inability to open the door. If Garud Mantra is chanted by any powerful Saadhu or Yogee or Maantrik, the door will open automatically and no human effort is needed to open it in any other way.
[July 4, 2013]