Ramappa Temple now world heritage site, PM Modi praises Telangana
Expressing happiness, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, said the spiritual and cultural wealth created by Kakatiya rulers in Telangana was unique in the country
Hyderabad: In a major achievement for Telangana State, UNESCO on Sunday inscribed the iconic Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple, popularly known as Ramappa Temple, as a World Heritage Site. This is the first site in Telangana to be given the recognition by UNESCO.
The State government has been making relentless efforts to get the World Heritage tag for some time now. In 2019, UNESCO officials inspected the historic temple located about 70 km from Warangal. This is the only temple that has been named after the sculptor rather than the deity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his pleasure over the iconic Ramappa Temple being inscribed as World Heritage Site by Unesco.
“Excellent! Congratulations to everyone, specially the people of Telangana. The iconic Ramappa Temple showcases the outstanding craftsmanship of great Kakatiya dynasty. I would urge you all to visit this majestic Temple complex and get a first-hand experience of it’s grandness,” the Prime Minister said in a Tweet.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, expressing happiness over Ramappa Temple being conferred with the World Heritage site recognition, said the spiritual and cultural wealth created by Kakatiya rulers in Telangana was unique in the country.
Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao, in a Tweet, said: “Happy to hear the good news that the 800-year-old Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) temple in Telangana has been inscribed as UNSECO World Heritage Site. This is the first World Heritage site from Telangana. Next aim is to get World Heritage City status for our capital city Hyderabad.”
The Central government had nominated the glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways – covering three serial sites of remnants of Swayambhu Temple and Keerthi Thoranas, Warangal Fort, Rudreshwara Temple (Thousand Pillars Temple), Hanumakonda and Rudreshwara Temple (Ramappa) Temple, Palampet and the Cultural sites of Dholavira, a historical Harappan City in Gujarat.
Last month, a delegation of Ministers, including Errabelli Dayakar Rao, V Srinivas Goud and Satyavathi Rathod, MLC Pochampally Srinivas Reddy and other officials, visited New Delhi and made a strong pitch to the Centre to nominate Ramappa for the UNESCO tag.
The delegation submitted a memorandum to Union Minister of State for Tourism Prahlad Singh and met officers from Ministry of
Culture, Tourism and Director General of Archaeological Survey of India in New Delhi.
According to the inscriptions in the temple, it was built in 1213 CE by a general of the Kakatiya empire, Recherla Rudra, during the reign of Kakatiya King Ganapati Deva. The temple is known for its unique features like ‘floating bricks’, sandbox foundations and exquisite carvings.
