GUNTUR: After years of negligence, works to rejuvenate the Kalyana Pushkarini at the famed temple of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Mangalagiri, Guntur have been underway at a brisk pace since December 2022.
Officials are planning to reopen it for devotees soon. Temple authorities have stumbled upon a temple of Lord Anjaneya, a few Shivalingas and inscriptions on the steps that surround the pond on all four sides.
The four-century-old Pushkarini has been in a dilapidated condition for the past five decades.
Considering its historical significance, the State government had allotted Rs 1 crore for the renovation of the tank which is spread over an acre. Temple authorities also sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for the desiltation and reconstruction works. Over 35 workers are continuously working to remove the silt. An attempt to renovate the pond in 1996 was not successful.
During excavation works, two ancient Shivalingas, carvings of Lord Hanuman and Shila Mandapas and a tunnel-like structure were unearthed, attracting the attention of architects and historians alike. Following this, the Endowments Department set up a five-member committee to conduct a detailed study of these ancient relics.
On the progress of works, Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy said the water is being drained from the tank with three motors working around the clock.
Hanuma temple in pond will also be developed soon: Executive Officer
“So far, over 3,000 trucks of silt has been removed. At present, the depth of the pond is 125 feet. According to experts, it is estimated that the silt might have been settled another 30 feet deep. So, the depth of the Koneru can be ascertained only after complete desiltation,” he explained.
In the next three months, officials are planning to complete the desiltation works and reconstruction of the steps on the north side of the Pushkarini which were destroyed during a lightning strike. “Lord Hanuma temple in the pond will also be developed so that devotees can offer prayers,” said temple executive officer Annapureddy Ramakoti Reddy.
On every Vaishakha Purnima, the temple authorities used to conduct Teppotsavam, also known as the float festival, in a grand ceremony till 1970. But due to lack of proper maintenance, the 464-year-old Koneru, considered to be a rich heritage, remained neglected.
Madinei Govardhan Rao, a lawyer who wrote the book ‘Mana Mangalagiri’ elaborating the rich history of the temple pond after researching various books, said the ‘Koneru’ was believed to be constructed during the regime of Sri Krishnadevaraya, who ruled the region in 1564 CE. Devotees considered the pond to be very sacred.
“In 1883, the then British Governor Gordon Mackenzie in his book ‘A Manual of the Kistna District’ mentioned that the local people believed there was a golden temple at the bottom of the pond. However, no traces of any such temple have been found till now,” the lawyer added. Water from the ‘Koneru’ was used in various spiritual rituals, including Chakra Sananams, Abhishekams, and in the preparation of the temple’s famous ‘panakam’ which was offered as prasadam.