The Telangana government has taken up a new project of development of the thirteenth-century Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple after it attained place in United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNSECO) list of World Heritage Sites. A detailed project report is being prepared to turn the Ramappa temple and complex into a spiritual tourism hub.
The Union Tourism Ministry will be granting funds for the development of the temple under its ‘Prasad’ (Pilgrim Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation) scheme. A team led by the director-general of the tourism ministry G Kamala Vardhan Rao visited the temple at Palampet in Mulugu district to understand the state government’s proposal and share the central ministry’s inputs, the Indian express reported.
The team inspected the site, verified the land, proposed interpretation centre, sound and laser show, boating services, development of lake and gardens etc. The state government has to follow inputs by the Union ministry to be able to seek funds for development, informed a senior official of the Telangana State Tourism department.
The state government is seeking Rs 250 crore from the Union Ministry for the project, informed the state tourism department’s chairman Uppala Srinivas Gupta. The Chief Minister has already sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore, he said.
The Telangana government aspires to integrate the Ramappa temple to the kaleshwaram tourism circuit that links reservoirs like Mallanna Sagar, Kondapochamma Sagar, Ranganayakamma Sagar, Mid Manair and Lower Manair reservoirs, Narasimhaswamy Sagar in Yadadri etc as tourism hubs. Moreover, Yadadri temple and Bhoodan Pochampally village, which recently won UNWTO’s ‘Best World Tourism Village’ tag will be added to the circuit. Four lane links roads and expansion of ‘Haritha’ resort has been planned as well.
The proposal includes amphitheater, shopping area, public amenities, 3D projection mapping show, promenade with benches are some of the items. 10-acre land has been earmarked for the interpretation centre. The central team’s instructions asked to include introduction of jetties, boats on the adjoining Ramappa lake. Moreover, beautiful accommodation facilities and enhanced hospitality are also part of the plan, the official informed.
But before the development work starts, certain conditions prescribed by UNESCO need to be adhered to like restoring the Kameshwara temple, Shivalayam and Gollallagudi, said Prof Panduranga Rao of the Kakatiya Heritage Trust.
Ramappa Temple is known for its intrinsic architecture, engineering boasting of the advancements of the Kakatiya dynasty and the reigns of ruler Kakati Ganapati deva also the chief sculptor of Ramappa. Floating bricks and sandbox technology used in the temple imparts the temple and its genius sculptor its universal value.
The Archeological survey of India, state archeology department, state and union tourism ministry unitedly have to create an ambience befitting the first and only monument in the two Telugu states to be inscribed in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, said Prof Rao.
