Ramappa temple ready for adoption

​Palampet (Bhupalpally): Historic Ramappa temple that personifies architectural elegance of Kakatiyas is all set to be taken over by Warangal-based Kakatiya Heritage Trust (KHT), courtesy ‘Adopt a Heritage’, the Central government’s initiative that allows private and public sectors to adopt heritage sites for building, operating and maintaining tourism infrastructure.

The Ministry of Tourism, which initiated the scheme in collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India last year, has recently awarded the ‘Letter of Intent’ to the KHT, a non-profit organisation that works to preserve, promote, protect and propagate the contribution made by the Kakatiyas to Telugu culture.

The fact is that the crumbling Ramappa structure is in dire need of restoration and reconstruction urgently to improve the aesthetics. However, it is vying for the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag, the ancient temple is not in the best of shapes as one would have desired with funds not flowing in from either Archaeological Survey of India or the Department of Archaeology and Museums.

The authorities, who started the reconstruction of Kameshwaralayam on the same premises some five years ago, are yet to complete it. A portion of compound wall that collapsed in August is yet to be completed. This apart, there was a long-pending proposal to build a stone roof on Nandi temple, however, it was not materialised.

Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Tourism, which received an ‘Expression of Interest’ from the KHT headed by BV Papa Rao, retired IAS, and M Panduranga Rao, retired Professor of NIT, has asked it for the ‘Vision Bid Proposal’ of the project under ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar Apni Pehchaan’. 

Speaking to The Hans India, KHT Trustee M Panduranga Rao said: “The Oversight and Vision Committee was impressed by our proposal that included presentation of floating bricks used in Ramappa temple construction. We will submit the Vision Bid Proposal to the Committee in about 10 days. Thereafter, the Committee will take a final decision.”

The Vision Bid Proposal, he says, to include construction of compound wall, rest rooms, underground electrification, etc. This apart, there is a proposal to introduce ‘sound and light show’, which traces the history of Kakatiyas, he said.

Currently, the entry of temple is through west gate, which actually should have been through east gate, Rao said, referring to their plans. All this activity needs around Rs 4 crore, he said, aiming to procure funds from various sources under corporate social responsibility (CSR).