HYDERABAD: With the Golconda Fort and Qutub Shahi Tombs having been snubbed by the Central government for the World Heritage Site tag, the State government has now shifted its attention to the Ramappa Temple for attaining the much-coveted title by 2020.
A meeting on the same was held on Monday between the State Department of Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India -- the custodian of the monument. As per sources, during the meeting, officials laid a framework for the completion of pending works before the UNESCO officials visit the site for inspection in September.
With the ASI facing a fund crunch, the works would have to be taken up by the State government. It may be recalled that CM Chandrasekhar Rao had pushed for Ramappa’s nomination a few months ago.
It was after his intervention into the matter that Ramappa became the only monument from the country to be nominated this year. This means that when the UNESCO officials visit in September, it would be the State government that would be hosting them.
However, there are a slew of works pending for the State if they want to impress the UNESCO. Sources say that there is a lack of proper parking space in the area and that arrangements for accommodation have to be better. Connectivity to the monument also needs to be improved. Illumination also has to be of higher quality.
Located 65 km away from Warangal, Ramappa is the only temple in the country known by the name of its sculptor rather than the presiding deity. The temple was built during the reign of king Kakati Ganapathi Deva and is said to have been “built using bricks so light that they can float on water”. Meanwhile, a heritage activist lamented the snub of ‘Monuments of Deccan Sultanate’ nomination -- of which the Golconda Fort and Qutub Shahi monuments were a part of -- and questioned the Centre’s reasoning for not sending it to the UNESCO.