The erstwhile Yadagirigutta is turning in to the biggest pilgrimage centre of Telangana, thanks to the State government’s initiative to make it into Yadadri. A mammoth temple complex is being built in place of old and small temple premises and this new temple complex promises to have a mixture of ancient splendor along with modern ameneties.
The famous temple-town in Bhongir-Yadadri district will be provided with a massive fillip this year. The Lakshmi Narayana Temple will be revamped in a major way. Made completely with black granite sourced from a single quarry in Andhra Pradesh, Yadadri Temple Development Authority (YTDA) has already spent Rs 600 crore towards the project. As many as 2,500 sculptors have been employed by the body to carve sculptures and decorate the temple’s walls.
It is understood that the State government is planning to formally inaugurate the revamped Yadadri temple on either March 3 or March 13, this year. This would mean finally the temple of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy would be open to public.
The planners of the Yadagirigutta temple in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, decided to restrict the reconstruction works around the ancient swayambhu temple using granite stone. Known as ‘Krishna sali’ for its colour as dark as the night, all of the 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of black granite was quarried from a single mine in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. With over 90 per cent of the works completed, the temple is only waiting to join the ranks of Thanjavur, Srirangam or Srikalahasti—few of the greatest temples in the southern part of the sub-continent.
Usage of granite not just for the construction of temple but also for as many as seven gopurams, makes Yadagirigutta temple one of its kind in modern India. “It was only in the ancient era that every part of a temple, including the Vimana gopuram, were built out of granite stones. In the modern times, cement and bricks are used to construct gopurams,” said S Sundararajan, Sthapathi of the temple and Advisor to Yadagirigutta Temple Development Authority (YTDA).
The State government is firm on completing the works on the main temple of Lord Sri Lakshminarsimha Swamy at Yadadri within one month, much before the annual Brahmostvams, said an official.
Executive officer of the Yadadri Sri Lakshminarsimha Swamy Temple, N Geetha, informed that the State government has accorded priority for the development of the temple and added that all works are in full swing.
In all, 1,500 sculptors are on the job. In fact the pillars for the main temple were ready almost one year ago, but the risk factor involved in transporting them to the hill shrine from sheds has resulted in delay, she said.
Officials say that it was necessary to take up the civil works in coordination with the sculptors on the hill shrine. In addition to this, we need to take up the development of the temple as per Agama Shastra. If development of the temple was in open place, it would have completed much before the targeted time, she maintained. She dined the news about the lack of coordination between the temple authorities and contractors.
Explaining the status of the works on the main temple, she informed that the works of gharbalayam, mukha prakaram and inner prakaram were already completed. The works on the outer prakaram was going on fast mode and the target is to complete it within a month, she added.
Preparation of doors to the main temple is almost complete as the work was entrusted to a Hyderabad based wood works company. Gold plated door would be setup in the main temple, which houses presiding deity, she added.
