YADADRI TEMPLE

Sept. 11, 2019

The Telangana government has ordered immediate removal of images of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and party symbols carved on the pillars of Yadadri temple after they created a furore. It issued instructions to officials that there should be no symbols other than those of religious significance in the temple complex that was being rebuilt by the government.

About:

  • Nomenclature: Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is also known as Yadadri and Yadagirigutta temple.

  • Location: It is situated on a hillock in Yadagirigutta of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana.

  • Features: It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The sanctum sanctorum or Garbhagriha of the temple is located in a cave, under a huge slating rock, which covers half the abode.

Renovation:

  • A new temple is being built at the old temple site. The Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrashekhar Rao initiated the renovation of the temple. The work started in 2016 and the entire temple project is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

  • The temple was renamed as Yadadri by Vaishnavaite ascetic Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, who is overseeing its construction.

  • Key features:
    • The temple is built entirely in stone (by sculpting a hill of granite into a temple), probably the first one after the monolithic Kailasa Temple in the Ellora caves that was built in 8th

    • The centuries-old practice of using lime mortar to join different stone parts is being used. The architecture of the temple is based on Agama Shashtra.