VIJAYAWADA: A beautiful temple structure representing Palnadu heritage is in ruins and utter neglect, says E Sivanagireddy, an archaeologist and CEO of Pleach India Foundation.
As part of heritage awareness campaign, ‘Preserve Heritage for Posterity’, he visited the ruins located on the outskirts of Jitta Gamalapadu village in Dachepalli mandal of Palnadu district on Sunday and sensitised the villagers on the historical significance of the temple and dire need to preserve it for further generations.
Sivanagireddy revealed that the place and the temple ruins have a historic connection with Nayakuralu Nagamma of Palnadu War fame supposed to have occurred in 1182 CE. Research proved that Jitta Gamalapadu village is where Nagamma and her father Choudary Ramireddy lived before she was appointed as minister by Nalagamaraju, the ruler of Palnadu, and is where she won over Brahmanaidu in the war.
Legend has it that Nagamma, being a staunch Saivite, built there a temple to Channamallikarjuna, and to pay homage to the great lady and war heroine, the local people built a temple to Nayakuralu Nagamma close to the temple built by her, which is now in ruins waiting for helping hands for its restoration.
He observed Nagamma temple has a garbhagriha, Ardha Mandapa and a Maha Mandapa. The remains of the super structure are found collapsed up to the basement level and found scattered all around, he lamented. The Channamallikarjuna temple was restored by the government a decade ago and the ruins of Nagamma temple are left uncared for, he pointed out.
He, who is also a Sthapathy, assured the villagers if they come forward to restore it, he will render support in sorting out the dislodged temple parts and restore its past glory. He appealed to the district administration to look into the matter to safeguard the relics of Palnadu heritage.