Over 1,000 residents of Warangal’s Atmakur hamlet, have come together to repair an 11th-century temple that had been abandoned for many years, reported The Times of India. Last month, the resurrected “Panchakuta Shivalayam” was officially opened. Locals believe after visiting the temple, couples who want children are granted their wish. V Buchi Reddy, chairman of Panchakuta Shivalayam informed, “Over 100 people come to pray here every day. Yet, it had been in a deplorable state. So, we decided to refurbish it.” He added that this is the only Panchakuta Shiva temple in Telangana.
Telangana village raises over
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) December 5, 2024
Rs 3 crore to restore on its own 1,000-year-old temple in ruins
The revived ‘Panchakuta Shivalayam’ was inaugurated last month.
Read here 🔗 https://t.co/KqjNs2gDgT#Warangal #Telangana pic.twitter.com/TDellTK4we
The locals handled everything themselves, from funding almost Rs 3.75 crore to hiring heritage specialists from Tamil Nadu to carry out the task. Additionally, 200 residents of the nearby villages of Gudepadh, Thirumalagiri and Peddapuram provided financial assistance. Furthermore, “well-wishers” from the local Muslim and Christian groups also contributed and the temple also received a substantial donation of Rs 30 lakh from a villager who is now residing in Hyderabad.
P Raju, ex-sarpanch of Atmakur expressed, “Every home in Atmakur paid between Rs 2,000 and Rs 15 lakh.” He explained that after the state’s archaeology and endowments departments ignored their pleas, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Buchi Reddy voiced, “We raised the issue with them on many occasions. But they cited fund crunch for not restoring the structure. Since we were adamant, they eventually granted us permission to independently restore it after seeking all necessary permissions.”
It took more than 18 months for a group of 20 expert artisans to finish the restoration. Rethinavelu K, an architect from Madurai, was in charge of the project. “Craftsmen from Karaikudi, Sivaganga district, who previously worked on the Yadadri temple, studied the temple’s architectural layout. They meticulously reconstructed five pillars and the roof using identical stones, employing tools such as chisels and blades,” he revealed.
The actions of the people were also praised by state officials. Senior official from the Telangana archaeology department stated, “Seven years ago, when locals sought assistance for temple restoration, we had to decline due to lack of funds. Subsequently, the villagers took initiative by raising funds from their community and neighbouring villages. I was quite pleased to observe that they had successfully restored the temple to its authentic state.”
