# What do you think is behind the metal door in the padmanabhaswamy temple? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061 "2017-06-28T16:47:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/21 "2017-06-28T22:20:43Z")
Giant nuclear snakes, you say? I’d give all my money to see giant nuclear snakes! How many giant nuclear snakes would it take to take out an M1A2 Abrams? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/22 "2017-06-28T22:26:37Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > The [temple priest](https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/9AFF/production/_90397693_mediaitem90395534.jpg) says he’s personally searched all the vaults and they are all empty, so people should stop **enquiring** about them. I see what you did there (my bold). ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/23 "2017-06-28T22:42:39Z")
If it’s anything like the other vaults I’m guessing that there is large amounts of gold. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/24 "2017-06-28T23:38:00Z")
The Wikipedia article is the worst thing I have ever tried to read. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/25 "2017-06-28T23:42:31Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Giant nuclear snakes, you say? I’d give all my money to see giant nuclear snakes! > > How many giant nuclear snakes would it take to take out an M1A2 Abrams? Are they giant _exploding_ nuclear snakes? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/26 "2017-06-29T00:24:30Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > If it’s anything like the other vaults I’m guessing that there is large amounts of gold. > > Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk One is a pile of gold adorned with the bleached skeleton of Geraldo Rivera. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/27 "2017-06-29T00:48:37Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Are they giant _exploding_ nuclear snakes? What about magic? Does the Abrams have magic? ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/28 "2017-06-29T06:26:23Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > The Wikipedia article is the worst thing I have ever tried to read. Try [this one](http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/04/30/the-secret-of-the-temple) instead. By far the best write-up of the temple, its treasures, and the whole hullabaloo around it. It also contains this gem: > [@](#): > > A street-food vender named Suresh spoke with me at his home, a humble concrete dwelling that he had decorated with a small statue of Buddha and pictures of his heroes: Jesus, Mother Teresa, Vishnu, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/29 "2017-06-29T06:34:28Z")
That’s the lineup for _Expendables 4_ ---
**Author:** ![dude\_robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8e7dd6/32.png) [@dude\_robert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dude_robert)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/30 "2017-06-29T07:07:58Z")
I wonder why the India Supreme Court denied them to open the last door. I mean, they were just going to hire a locksmith and try to open it that way; so it wouldn’t be damaged too much. A serious question, is there any technology that they could use to see through it? I also doubt it would have been broken in, because there was other treasure they discovered there earlier, and it would probably take a very long time for ancient thieves to break down the door, or even the walls around the door. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/31 "2017-06-29T16:17:42Z")
A car–No, a goat–No, a car–No, a–Aargh! I can’t decide. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/32 "2017-06-29T18:18:00Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > Try [this one](http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/04/30/the-secret-of-the-temple) instead. > > By far the best write-up of the temple, its treasures, and the whole hullabaloo around it. > > It also contains this gem: That was definitely better… How can something supposedly worth billions have zero facts associated with it. I love India. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/33 "2017-06-29T18:27:10Z")
Moar metal doors! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/34 "2017-06-30T14:43:05Z")
It’s a transdimensional passage to the [secret door at the Vatican](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1166/is-there-a-door-in-st-peters-basilica-thats-opened-once-every-100-years). ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/35 "2017-06-30T15:30:20Z")
I think if they open it, they will find it empty, except for the hole in the floor. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/36 "2017-06-30T15:37:04Z")
What saddens me is that some of the stuff in those vaults is of historic and artistic interest, quite aside from its monetary value. But the stuff that has been stolen is probably just melted down for the bullion value. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/37 "2017-06-30T16:59:07Z")
If they open the door and find the moldering corpse of Bob Barker, can I choose another door? Wait, he’s not dead yet. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/38 "2017-07-02T03:47:37Z")
The vault contains a rakoshi nest, of course. > [@snfaulkner](#): > > How many giant nuclear snakes would it take to take out an M1A2 Abrams? Are they using a destroyer? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/39 "2017-07-02T04:23:26Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061/40 "2017-07-03T18:52:34Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I think it’s the Ark of the Covenant. Naw, that’s been held in [a small church in Ethiopia for the last 3,000 years. Or so.](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/keepers-of-the-lost-ark-179998820/) I love this idea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-behind-the-metal-door-in-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple/790061.md?page=3)