2025: Devotees pray for better year for temples in Telangana

The irregularities in the kodelu distribution scheme at the Vemulawada Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy temple sparked a major controversy in the State. Complaints surfaced alleging that officials were involved in selling cows to slaughterhouses. Additionally, serious accusations were leveled against Endowments Minister Konda Surekha by leaders from various political parties, claiming the cows were sent to slaughterhouses under her direction.

Hyderabad: Not everything has gone right for the Endowments Department in Telangana, or for the temples under its jurisdiction. Right from the controversy surrounding the kodelu (bulls and cows) at Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy Temple, Vemulawada, ghee procurement at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam in Bhadrachalam and the desecration of idols and temples in different areas, the manner in which the Endowments department has been in the news for wrong reasons in 2024 has left devotees praying for better days for the State’s temples in 2025.

The irregularities in the kodelu distribution scheme of the Vemulawada Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy temple had triggered a sensation in the State. There were complaints that officials were involved in selling cows to slaughterhouses. Serious allegations were made against Endowments Minister Konda Surekha as well by a few leaders of different political parties that the cows were shifted to slaughterhouses at her behest.

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Though the Minister denied any involvement, cutting across party lines, leaders demanded the State government to streamline the administration at the temple and initiate measures to ensure such irregularities do not recur. Three persons were arrested by the Geesugonda police in Warangal district on December 10 on charges of acquiring 66 bulls and cows through fraudulent means from the temple’s goshala. With pressure mounting from different quarters, the temple management launched a field verification of beneficiaries under the kodelu distribution scheme.

After the Vemulawada temple, the Bhadradri Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam hit headlines over violation of rules in ghee procurement. The temple management had allegedly signed an agreement with a private agency from Andhra Pradesh for procurement of ghee for preparing laddus at the temple. This was done against the earlier practice of purchasing ghee from the Karimnagar Dairy. After a row erupted over the agreement and procurement of ghee from an agency in Andhra Pradesh, the temple management scrapped the deal and action was initiated against the top official in the temple.
Apart from these controversies and irregularities, there have been a series of incidents in which idols and temples were desecrated at different places. Since August 26 this year, about a dozen incidents of idols desecrated at different temples were reported in the city and suburbs. The latest incident was when unidentified persons allegedly desecrated a temple and damaged a Hanuman idol at Moinabad. Similar incidents were reported from different areas in the State.

In addition to hurting the sentiments, these incidents raised concerns over the maintenance and administration of temples. Though all the temples may not come under the purview of the department, the incidents reflected the poor law and order situation. Protests were staged at the temples and demands were made by several organizations to initiate action against the offenders.

Amidst these reports, the gold plating works for Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple’s Vimana Gopuram (temple tower) atop Yadagirigutta were launched. Efforts are being made to complete the exercise before the commencement of annual Brahmotsavams at the temple in March. The initiative for gold plating works was launched by former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao by donating one kg and 16 tolas of gold in October 2021. The State government is now contemplating to replicate a similar project at the Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy Temple in Vemulawada.