Kerala: Kings hid trove in temples

Kochi: The kings in Kerala managed to save their treasures by hiding them in temples. The last Maharaja of Travancore outwitted the British by hiding his treasures in the Padmanabha temple.

Thousands of kilos of gold, diamonds, gems and artefacts said to be worth $22 billion in 2011 are being guarded. A fortune is being spent to protect them. While the treasures in hand lie unutilised, we continue to learn for lost ones.

The biggest of losses was the Peacock Throne of Shah Jahan. When the Mughal emperor sat on it for the first time in 1635 its value was one crore rupees.