Efforts on to get heritage tag for Thousand Pillar temple

WARANGAL: As part of an effort to get World Heritage tag to historical Thousand Pillar temple built in 1163 AD by Kakatiya king Rudra Deva, Kakatiya Urban Development Authority (KUDA) had undertaken a task to remove all the structures which has come around it and take up beautification works around. As per the regulations of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and national heritage rules to achieve the World Heritage tag there was a need to create a 100-metre prohibited and 200-metre restricted zones at the temple site.

KUDA has realised that until the entire temple area — presently flanked by residential and commercial buildings — is cleared there will be no possibility of the temple securing the prestigious world heritage tag. As a result of this, KUDA has acquired as many as 50 properties at a total cost of `20 crore to take up developmental works. 

The KUDA has also acquired two acres of land to take up development and beautification works at the historical Thousand Pillar temple under Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme.

Moving ahead with the idea of developing a beautiful landscape garden on the temple premises, the authorities has already spent `40 lakh on landscaping, illumination and parking facilities.

“World Heritage tag for the Thousand Pillar temple will help in attracting international tourists to Warangal. Even the local tourist footfall will increase multi-fold,” claimed KUDA chairman, Marri Yadava Reddy.The Thousand Pillar temple along with two other sites -- Swayambhu temple and Keerthi Thoranas at Warangal Fort and the Ramappa temple -- which have been sent for inclusion in the UNESCO list were dropped by the ASI, last November. At present the State does not have a single proposed site despite there being representations from the year 2010 to the UNESCO.

Reconstruction and conservation works of the ‘Kalyana Mandapam’ at the Thousand Pillar temple, which was dismantled back in 2005 and having surpassed many deadlines, are still underway. Now the authorities claim that 80 per cent of the work is complete and it will soon be completed.The Thousand Pillar temple reflects the magnificence of the Chalukya dynasty. The temple has been built in the shape of a star and comprises three shrines, one for each of the presiding deities Shiva, Vishnu and Surya.