NASA students explore Inavolu Mallikarjuna Swamy temple

Hyderabad : A architecture students from various institutions in India are exploring the undocumented heritage sites across the country. These students are assigned to the National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA), India, and have recently visited the site of the Inavolu  Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Warangal, which is a Kakatiya-era 11th-century site. Nearly 30 students have been selected from several institutions across India to document various lesser-known or unexplored heritage sites in India. Speaking to The Hans India, one of the students from Hyderabad, Shanmukh, says, “In Aurora Design Institute, I, along with Likith from Vaishnavi School of Architecture and Planning and Shashi from Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (JNAFAU), have submitted the proposal to NASA, India, for hosting this programme. We have chosen Inavolu temple as the potential site for this purpose, and we have already completed the documentation process for the same, along with 30 students” Anuradha Reddy, Convenor, INTACH-Hyderabad (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), who was part of the visit says, “It was a wonderful experience to share our history, culture-built heritage with architecture students from around the country. It was also great fun to be working with young people of such enthusiasm and skills.”

“The basic objective of the documentation was to document and bring to the limelight the unknown and undocumented precedents in Kakatiya’s architecture evolution. The space-making aesthetics may appear very similar to Chalukyans, but there are subtle variations in the ornamentation and finer interlocking details”, says Naga Praveen Pingali, an architect who visited along with the team.

It is a good sign that the younger generation is coming forward to understand history and the architectural landmarks evolved in the bygone era. They had multiple questions on lenses and ways of looking at history which was quite intriguing. Apart from traditional documentation methods new technology of drones and photogrammetry was a valuable addition, he added.

The documentation also added aspects of talking to the people associated with and making a note of the practices associated. The idea of a Hindu temple being a ‘social hub’ was brought forth as an observation.

NASA, India, is the world’s largest and oldest architecture student-run association. We have multiple facets of the association, from enhancing leadership, granting students scholarships to hosting India’s largest architecture conventions and others. A prime focus of our association is to document the undocumented built heritage of our architecturally rich nation. The Louis I Kahn programme conducted in Warangal is a testimony to the same,” says Evanthika P, Zonal President, NASA, India.