KURNOOL: The Telangana government’s attempts to turn Yadadri into another Tirumala have led the Telangana officials to flock to Allagadda in Kurnool district. The reason? To get exquisite statues and statuettes to be carved for Yadadri.
Allagadda is synonymous with factionism. But, unbeknown to many is that Allagadda is famous for temple sculptors and idols made at Allagadda adorn temples across the Telugu states and the country at large.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has reportedly ordered the making of several idols of deities.
He had also announced the carving out of Yadadri as a separate district.
Sources said that the TS government is spending Rs 500 crore for carving sculptures. In the first phase, Rs 130 crore has been released. Of them, Rs 50 crore has been allocated to Allagadda. The TS government has selected five famous sculptors, including SD Hari Prasad Achari, from Allagadda, three from Ongole, one each from Kotappakonda and Hyderabad for carving out temple idols.
Places like Kammavaripalem, Marulla, Garijepalli in Andhra Pradesh too will make idols. At least 1,000 sculptors are working on 100 prakarams with Lord Narasimha and lion images, lion pillars, four key prakarams, four main walls, sanctum sanctorum and four gali gopurams. As per schedule, the work would be completed by July next year and the sculptures would be installed at Yadadri before Dasara next year, said SD Raveendra Achari, one of the sculptors.
“Usually, stones would be used for raja gopurams at the rope level. But, for Yadadri, the raja gopuram would be using stones throughout, he said. This is being done for the first time ever,”he said.