State revving up efforts for UNESCO tag to Ramappa temple

Hyderabad: State Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud said that Telangana government is trying hard to get the UNESCO tag to Ramappa temple to declare it as a World Heritage Site (WHS).

Responding to a question in the State Legislative Council here on Thursday, he said the government has submitted 'Nomination Dossier' to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to get World Heritage Site (WHS) to Ramappa temple.

He said the final dossier has been submitted in January 2019. The permanent delegation of India to UNESCO, the Director, International Council on Monuments and Site (ICOMOS), World Heritage Evaluation Unit have nominated Vasu Poshyanandana of Thailand as an expert to evaluate the Ramappa temple.

Following this, the expert visited the temple in September last year and the process is on, he added.

Earlier, raising the question MLC P Srinivas Reddy said that many people from different parts of the world are visiting the heritage site of Ramappa temple.

He asked the State government to mount pressure on the Centre for more funds to develop the Ramappa temple and to make it an international tourist attraction.

The minister said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has been taking steps since the formation of the Telangana to rejuvenate the sites of the spiritual heritage of the State and to protect the cultural heritage of Telangana.

He said Ramappa temple, which is an architectural wonder is proposed for the recognition of a WHS.

Also, earlier it was proposed to develop a meditation centre at Ramappa tank and pillars were also laid for the construction of the centre. However, the same has come to a grinding halt.

The MLC asked whether the State government wanted to develop it as a meditation centre, as Shilpa Kalavedika or establish a school of sculpture, as Telangana does not have one.

Srinivas Reddy said since the Ramappa temples are under the ASI the development activities are facing several hiccups. However, the State government is committed to the development of the same.

Responding to the issues of other members raised, the minister said the development of a fort in Rachakonda, Medak church and others will be taken to the notice of the chief minister and appropriate steps will be taken for their development.