India's richest temples revealed: From Tirupati's ₹2.26 lakh crore to a vault still unopened

India is home to some of the world's wealthiest religious institutions, with temple trusts managing vast reserves of gold, cash, jewellery, land and investments. While there is no official government ranking of the country's richest temples, publicly available trust reports, court records and financial disclosures offer a reliable picture of their wealth. 

Temple's financial strength comes not only from donations made by millions of devotees every year but also from centuries of accumulated gold, land, investments and other assets.

Here's a look at the richest temples in India based on the latest publicly available financial data, annual revenue and widely accepted wealth estimates.

1. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Andhra Pradesh

• Estimated net worth: ₹2.26 lakh crore (TTD White Paper)
• Annual revenue: Over ₹5,100 crore
• Annual donations: Around ₹1,500 crore

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is India's richest operational temple trust. According to the latest TTD White Paper, the trust owns assets worth approximately ₹2.26 lakh crore, including gold deposits, fixed deposits, land holdings and investments. The temple receives donations exceeding ₹1,500 crore annually and welcomes over three crore devotees every year.

2. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kerala

• Estimated treasure value: More than ₹1.2 lakh crore
• Annual donations: Not officially disclosed

Located in Thiruvananthapuram, the temple is widely regarded as the world's richest temple because of the priceless treasure discovered inside its underground vaults. A Supreme Court-supervised inventory revealed gold idols, diamonds, ancient coins and ornaments valued at over ₹1.2 lakh crore. The mysterious Vault B remains unopened, meaning the actual treasure could be even higher.

3. Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Maharashtra

• Estimated assets: ₹2,500–3,000 crore
• Annual income: ₹400–700 crore

One of India's most visited pilgrimage destinations, the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Trust manages thousands of crores in bank deposits, gold and silver ornaments. Besides religious activities, the trust funds hospitals, educational institutions and several welfare programmes.

4. Guruvayur Temple, Kerala

• Estimated assets: ₹1,700–2,500 crore
• Annual income: ₹250–400 crore

Known as the "Dwarka of the South", the Guruvayur Temple has accumulated significant wealth through donations, investments and gold reserves. The Guruvayur Devaswom also operates various charitable and social initiatives.

5. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Jammu & Kashmir

• Estimated assets: ₹2,000 crore+
• FY2023–24 income: ₹683 crore
• Offerings and donations: ₹255 crore

Managed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the shrine attracts millions of pilgrims annually. Its revenue comes from donations, accommodation facilities, helicopter services and pilgrimage-related activities.

6. Siddhivinayak Temple, Maharashtra

• Estimated assets: More than ₹500 crore
• Annual income: Around ₹100–130 crore

Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple is among the country's richest temples, attracting devotees from across India, including celebrities and business leaders. The temple trust also spends heavily on healthcare, education and social welfare.

Other Richest Temples in India

Several other prominent temples are considered among India's wealthiest. These include the Golden Temple, Amritsar (Punjab), whose total asset valuation has not been officially disclosed but receives donations worth hundreds of crores annually; Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), with estimated assets of over ₹500 crore; Jagannath Temple, Puri (Odisha), which owns thousands of acres of land, valuable jewellery and other assets though no official valuation is available; Somnath Temple, Prabhas Patan (Gujarat), with estimated assets worth hundreds of crores.

Apart from that Ayodhya Ram Mandir (Uttar Pradesh), which has received over ₹3,500 crore in donations since its inauguration, though its total net worth has not been disclosed; Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai (Tamil Nadu), known for its extensive gold ornaments and endowments; Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, Pathanamthitta (Kerala), one of India's highest-earning pilgrimage centres with annual collections exceeding ₹300 crore during pilgrimage season; and Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), which earns donations worth tens of crores annually.