The Gold Foundation

The only building ever built on a foundation of gold is said to be the Gate of the Fortress of Purandhar in India. The Rajah who ordered it to be built in 1290 was warned that the place where he wanted to build the gate was a quagmire and that it would be very difficult to build there. Soon, he had a dream in which he was advised to build the gate on a foundation of gold. He ordered two large holes to be dug, each 35 feet square and 12 feet deep. The Rajah's treasury of 50,000 gold bricks, each weighing about 4,320 grams, was placed in the ground to form the foundation on which the gate was built.

Several years ago, a group of Indian children asked the government of India for permission to dig out the great treasure, which would be worth more than 18 billion dollars today. The government initially gave permission but quickly withdrew it when the monks protested.

The gate still covers this great treasure, which for its wastefulness has no equal anywhere on earth.