VIZIANAGARAM: The revamped temple of Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy on Bodikonda hills in Ramatheertham village of Vizianagaram district is all set for inauguration at 7.30 am on Monday. The temple was built with stone structure and modern facilities as per Agama Sastra, the ancient manual for building temples. The temple was reconstructed by the State government by spending Rs 3 crore after unidentified miscreants vandalised the idols of Lord Rama on December 28, 2020.
Temple authorities have sent invitations to all the guests including MANSAS chairman and hereditary trustee of the Ramatheertham temple P Ashok Gajapathi Raju a few days ago for the inauguration ceremony. Minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana will inaugurate the temple along with Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana. Endowments commissioner Harijawaharlal and others will be present. The District administration has made elaborate arrangements for the temple opening ceremony.
Suspense continues over Ashok Gajapathi Raju
Suspense over the presence of Ashok Gajapathi Raju in the temple opening ceremony still continues. Though the temple authorities have sent an invitation to Raju, sources said he was planning to stay away from the ceremony, accusing the temple officials of violating the protocol during the foundation stone-laying ceremony held on December 22, 2021.
Speaking to the media, Raju said the opening ceremony was supposed to be completed under his supervision as he is the temple chairman. “However, the endowments officials failed to follow the protocol as well as temple customs and rituals. They have rejected my donation for the temple reconstruction. They have registered illegal cases against me in connection with the incidents at the foundation stone-laying ceremony. I have been walking around the High Court fighting those cases. I will go to the temple as and when I want. Nobody can prevent me from going to the temple,” the former Union minister said.
“Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao (former endowments minister) was unfit for the job. I hope new endowments’ minister Kottu Satyanarayana will work as per the Indian Constitution,” he added.Speaking to TNIE, DVV Prasada Rao, executive officer of the temple, said, “I have sent the invitation to all esteemed guests, including Ashok Gajapathi Raju, a few days ago. I hope all of them will participate in the opening ceremony.”
It may be recalled that Lord Rama idols of Kodanda Rama Swamy temple on Bodikonda hill was desecrated by unidentified miscreants on December 28, 2020. That incident had created political and religious heat in AP. The State government constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the attack and reinstalled the idols carved by the SV Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture of the TTD on the main temple premises in the next few days. It had also sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the construction of the new temple. The then Endowment minister Vellampalli Srinivas laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple on December 22, 2021.