VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh’s first Brahma Samaj Mandir, which was built in Krishna district’s Machilipatnam town over a century ago and inaugurated by Kandukuri Veeresalingam, a social reformer, was demolished 10 days ago. TNIE spoke to the people of the town who rued the destruction of the historically significant structure.
There are rumours that Machilipatnam Brahma Samaj Trust Board Chairperson, Kurrala Rama Chandra Rao, plans to sell off the land where the building had stood for real estate development.
“These are baseless rumours,” said Rao. When asked why the structure was razed, he said that the municipality had ordered him to demolish the building as it had become a nest of snakes. “Reptiles had crept into the place and that’s why the municipality ordered me to demolish the building. I don’t think that’s the issue though; the place was already dilapidated and its structure had eroded. There was only a skeletal remain of the Brahma Samaj Mandir. It has been neglected all these years and people are raising a hue and cry now,” he said.
“We are planning to revive the structure. That’s what we did in Chennai, Kakinada and in Indore, Madhya Pradesh,” he said. A historian from Machilipatnam, Muhammad Silar, also expressed his concerns about the rumours and said, “I have mentioned the Brahma Samaj Mandir in my book Machilipatnam Sarvasvam. It would be a shame if the land were to be used for commercial purpose.”
The book briefs the readers about the several Brahma Samaj meetings that had taken place in the building to discuss social evils and superstitions.
“Sati Sahagamana, polygamy and child marriage were some of the subjects that were discussed in the building,” he explained.
Machilipatnam executive officer for temples, S Anjaneyulu, said, “I spoke to the people of the town and we’re ready to chip in the amount required to rebuild the mandir. We don’t want it to be used for any commercial establishment. I have spoken to Kurrala Rama Chandra Rao and he said he will think about our proposal.”