Hyderabad: Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said on Sunday that UNESCO has conferred the title of World Heritage Site to the historic Rudreshwar Temple at Palampet in Telangana’s Mulugu district. This temple is also known as Ramappa.
The Rudreshwar temple was built in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire. This temple was built by Recharla Rudra who was a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and the presiding deity of the temple is Ramalingeshwara Swamy.
According to an official release, it is also known as Ramappa Temple as it was named after its craftsman who worked for the temple for 40 years. Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy tweeted, “I am very happy to inform you that UNESCO has recognized Ramappa Temple at Palampet, Warangal, Telangana as a World Heritage Site.”
“On behalf of the nation, especially the people of Telangana, I express my gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance and support,” he said. Kishan Reddy said in a release that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) could not be held in 2020 and an online meeting on nominations for 2020 and 2021 is discussed in a series.
He said the Ramappa temple was discussed on Sunday. The government had proposed to UNESCO to recognize it as a World Heritage Site for 2019. Reddy said the World Heritage Committee has 21 members and is currently headed by China, which selected the temple in Telangana for World Heritage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Excellent! Congratulations to all, especially the people of Telangana. The iconic Ramappa temple displays the exquisite craftsmanship of the great Kakatiya dynasty. I urge all of you to visit the premises of this magnificent temple and get a firsthand experience of its grandeur.”
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao lauded UNESCO’s decision to recognize the historic Ramappa Temple as a World Heritage Site. According to a release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, Rao thanked the member states of UNESCO and the central government for their support.
Telangana Tourism Minister V Srinivasa Goud said on Twitter, “Happy to announce that 800 years old Ramappa Temple of Kakatiya era has been inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.” Kishan Reddy congratulated the entire team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for their tireless efforts towards making Ramappa Temple a World Heritage Site and also thanked the Ministry of External Affairs for their efforts.
According to the ministry statement, the distinctive style, technique, and decoration of the temple complexes of the Kakatiyas demonstrate the influence of Kakatiya sculpture. The Ramappa temple is a manifestation of this and presents a testimony to the creative genius of the Kakatiyas. The temple stands on a six-foot-high star-like platform, with intricate carvings on the walls, pillars, and ceilings, attesting to the unparalleled skill of the Kakatiya sculptors.
It states that European merchants and travelers were mesmerized by the beauty of the temple and one such traveler mentioned that the temple is “the brightest star in the galaxy of medieval temples of the Deccan”. Kakatiya Heritage Trust (KHT) Trustee M Panduranga Rao told PTI that they have been working with Telangana State Archaeological Department and ASI since 2010 to include Ramappa Temple in India’s nomination for the list of World Heritage Sites. Were preparing a dossier proposing this.
