India has been home to numerous royals. From the Mughals to the Rajputs, the monarchies of India left behind several legends that were passed on for generations. Some of these legends about treasures and enormous wealth still remain a mystery, a code Indiana Jones would want to crack. 

Also Read: Seas the day: 5 beach locales for the solo traveler in you

Here are the five big treasure mysteries in India:

1) Son Bhandar Caves in Bihar

Literally translated as ‘store of gold’, the Son Bhandar or Sonebhandar caves have been believed to be home to Maurya ruler Bimbisara’s gold treasure. The two artificial caves are located at Rajgir in Bihar. According to folklore, a passage inside the cave leads to a treasure no one has been able to find. Legend says that Bimbisara was given sermons by Buddha in the cave. The king stored all his treasury there. But to reach the gold, one will have to decipher the scripts engraved on the cave. Crack the code and Bimbisara’s gold is all yours. 

Also Read: Dubai International becomes world’s busiest airport for global travel

2) Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala

Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram has two vaults, A and B. When one vault was opened artifacts worth approximately $22 billion (2011) or Rs 13,96,01,00,00,000 were found. Vault B is said to hold much more treasure, but opening it has been a 10-year issue now. 

In 2011, The Supreme Court of India asked the temple to open the vaults. While one vault was opened successfully, local legends say that the second one is protected by giant serpents and breaking it would lead to a massive disaster. It remains unopened till date.

Also Read: 19-year-old pilot becomes youngest woman to fly solo around the world

3) King Kothi Palace in Hyderabad

The last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali, is said to be worth $210.8 billion at the time of his death. The TIME magazine hailed him to be the richest man in the world in 1937. The Nizam is said to have made the money during his 37 years on the throne. However, the location of his treasure is not known. It is believed that Mir Osman Ali’s treasures are hidden in the underground chambers of the King Kothi Palace in Hyderabad. The treasure includes diamonds, jewelry and various precious stones.

Also read: 7 facts about Indian freedom fighter Tatya Tope

4) Mines under the Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh

The famous Kohinoor diamond is believed to be mined in Kollur during the period of the Kakatiya dynasty. The Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh is said to be Kohinoor’s home. It is believed that the river, especially in Andhra Pradesh, holds diamonds in the mine. Wandering on the banks, you might find one.

5) Man Singh’s lost treasure in Jaipur

Legend says that Man Singh hid all the wealth he looted from the Afghan Province in tanks under the courtyard of the Jaigarh fort. He was a general in Akbar’s army and didn’t want the ruler to know about the treasure. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched a search operation after she reportedly had a tip-off that the water tanks of Jaigarh contained the treasure. A search was conducted Maharani Gayatri Devi was arrested but the authorities are believed to have found nothing. Man Singh’s treasure remains a mystery.