Found - 6.9 Billion in gold (India)

Biggins wrote: »

and they still haven't opened up the seventh pure iron vault!

That's because I'm in there with a chair against the vault door as I fill my pockets.

If you have access to a helicopter I'll give you E14.52 and an old lolipop to fly it here.

The poor will still be poor, medical aid will still be needed and homeless will be still unsheltered.

Because of the bloody caste system, they should spend those billions on opening their minds and educating themselves to how needlessly impoverished the country is.

Biggins wrote: »

Here's hoping some of that gold is somehow used, in some way, to take care of the countries many, many poor, homeless and living in shanty towns, etc.

I dunno, something is telling me this is definitely not gonna happen..

Sure they're in need of a few more tanks and nukes!

Ali Baba was stolen from.

Dibs on the magic lamp....if they find one, which of course they will

I hate gold it turns people into fools, all it is is shiny rock it's practically useless beyond being shiny, what the hell is wrong with people? I just don't get the fascination with gold.

Its very unreactive so it is eternal, Man.

chakotha wrote: »

Its very unreactive so it is eternal, Man.

It's eternally tarnished by all the children that died mining it. It's not a case your gold may be from horrible sources, it's a case of it's more than likely your gold came from horrible sources that use child labour down in unstable mines.

Biggins wrote: »

The seventh vault that has yet to be opened, is made up of ancient iron walls!

Don't open it... that's where we Indy, the Doctor, Lara & I trapped the Goa'ulds!!!!

I grew up in Kerala, a state in India with this town Thiruvanathapuram (town named after the temple actually) is in.

LighterGuy wrote: »

So wheres this money going to go to?
The indian goverment? and never to be seen again?

Ooman Chandy, the Chief Minister of the state of Kerala, said yesterday that this is and will remain the property of the temple. It will be up to the Temple administration to do what they please with it, however, I am sure they will have to follow dozens of other laws dealing with preservation of things that is of archeological value etc.

The state of Kerala is about a third the size of Ireland, and has 10 times as much people - about 40 million. Kerala, back in the days, had three kingdoms. One of them was 'Thiruvithamkoor' or 'Travancore', and the Kings of this kingdom were very pious and humble rulers. They promoted arts and education and spend huge amounts of city planning (back in the days). They didn't spent it all on bling palaces or anything - anyone who has been to their palaces can see that they were really large houses - compared to the super bling palaces of Mysore or further North of India. This wealth that's now being accounted was accumulated over many centuries. They are really their savings for disasters and famine etc - to save the kingdom by buying whatever is required at that stage.

Biggins wrote:

...And how many more temples out there (and not just in India) might have similar.

This is a very good point. However, the truth is that the temples have been looted by many waves of invaders. The Mugals pillaged and destroyed temples and took everything they could get their dirty paws on. Then the British followed. We all have heard of the Nizams' of Hydrabad and how Kohinoor, the largest jewel, ended up as 'Crown Jewel' in London. The temple and the Kingdom that's being discussed now, by the standard of Kings etc were relatively poor in India. I can only imagine how much wealth was plundered by the Moguls and the British from India between 1400-1900. Sickening really.

Absurdum wrote:

Isn't anyone concerned about the monster who wore a 6m necklace? That's a ****in giant so it is.

That necklace was probably presented to the Deity of the temple, not to a person. The Deity is Vishu, one of the trinity of Hindu gods, lying on coils of the greatest Serpent of all - Ananda - the snake with 1000 heads. That's where Vishu rests, that's his bed. And yeah, Hindu mythology is cool like that.


PS: On other news, Indian Crime Branch and Revenue retrieved 30,000 crore INR (about $6 billion?) of black money last week alone! There's huge sums of money in India, it's just that it's all outside the system!

Many Indian temples do indeed help the poor. People do puja (make a sacrifice) by leaving food or money in front of the idol and much of this is later distributed to the needy.:)

I doubt whether the wealth will be expropriated by either the Indian or the Keralan governments, as India is governed under the rule of law and private property is respected. Besides, any action like this could lead to years or decades of litigation.

Kerala, which I warmly recommend as a place to visit, is one of the most highly developed parts of India, although relatively poor. In 1957 it became the first place in the world to elect a Communist government and later became the first state in India to achieve full literacy. It is generally regarded as one of the best governed states in India.

The current government is a coalition led by the Congress Party. It took power after the Communists were narrowly defeated in elections earlier this year.

http://www.kerala.gov.in/