Kakatiya era temple being restored in Paloncha

The temple located at Gudipadu village of Palvoncha mandal, which emerged as a samsthan in the Nizam’s era with the end of the Kakatiya rule, is believed to be built during the reign of famous Kakatiya Rudramadevi’s grandson, Prataparudra (1289 -1323 AD).

Kothagudem: An initiative by a few youngsters and charitable donation by a philanthropist is helping to restore a Kakatiya era Moksha Venkateshwara Swamy Temple on the banks of the Murredu stream in the district.

The temple located at Gudipadu village of Palvoncha mandal, which emerged as a samsthan in the Nizam’s era with the end of the Kakatiya rule, is believed to be built during the reign of famous Kakatiya Rudramadevi’s grandson, Prataparudra (1289 -1323 AD).

---

It remained in an abandoned state until a tahsildar of Paloncha, Mastan Rao, found it covered by wild bushes in 2010 and informed the locals. A local youth, Arem Prashanth along with friends Arem Mahesh and Korem Ramesh, cleared the bushes and revived offering poojas at the temple in 2011.

According to Prashanth, the villagers, mostly tribals, used to worship at the temple until the end of the Nizam rule. Later the thieves looted the idols at the temple, despite efforts by the villagers to protect the temple, after which it was abandoned and fell into a dilapidated condition.

Gudipadu village was originally called Rama Chandrapuram as the temple at the village was damaged, people started to call it Gudipadu (Gudi- temple, padu –damaged) with a reference to the damaged temple.

Though there is confusion over survey numbers, as per records the temple has 23 acres of land. Lord Venkateshwara’s Kalyanam is being organised every year a day before Holi festival in March with grandeur, he said.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Prashanth informed that he and his friends contacted many individuals and officials of the endowment department for several years seeking help to restore the temple, but to no avail.

Finally, the founder of Shyamala Gopalan Educational Foundation (SGEF) N Suresh Reddy of Paloncha came forward to fund the temple’s restoration work. Following that restoration works started in December 2022 with an estimated cost of Rs.1 crore.

80 percent of the reconstruction work at the same location where the old temple stood is completed and a ‘Panchaloha’ idol of Lord Venkateshwara is being made. The temple’s re-consecration is expected to take place in March, Prashanth informed.