KCR’s vision sets Yadagirigutta temple tower to become tallest gold-plated in India
Upon completion, the Yadagirigutta Vimana Gopuram will become the tallest gold-plated tower, surpassing the Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple Vimana Gopuram at Tirumala, according to Endowments Principal Secretary Shailaja Ramaiyer. Unlike Tirumala’s three-story structure, the Yadagirigutta Vimana Gopuram boasts five stories and stands over 50 feet tall, slightly exceeding the height of its Tirumala counterpart, she noted.
Yadadri Bhuvanagiri: When former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao announced the gold plating works for Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple Vimana Gopuram (temple tower), atop Yadagirigutta, he had actually laid foundation for making it the tallest gold plated temple tower in the country.
Once the works were done, Yadagirigutta Vimana Gopuram would be the tallest gold-plated tower. It would be taller than Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple Vimana Gopuram at Tirumala, said Endowments Principal Secretary Shailaja Ramaiyer.
Compared to the Tirumala Vimana Gopuram, which is three floors, Yadagirigutta Vimana Gopuram has five floors. It stands over 50 feet tall, a bit taller than Tirumala Vimana Gopuram, she explained.
About 60 kgs of gold was being used for the Vimana Gopuram gold plating works. All the gold was resourced from the temple and through the donations offered by devotees, she added.
A Chennai-based agency was taking up the works. In the past, the agency had also executed the Dwajastambham (flagstaff) and Kalasha (finial) installation works at the temple.
Soon after announcing the government’s decision to take up gold plating works at the temple in October 2021, former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao donated one kg and 16 tolas of gold for the purpose. He had also appealed to the people from different sections to donate gold for executing the works.
Accordingly, many politicians, corporates, philanthropists, devotees and others had donated gold. Enthused with the donations, the government then had constituted a committee also to execute the works. Endowments Principal Secretary, YTDA Vice Chairman and others were part of the Committee.
The Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple authorities are taking up the gold plating works at brisk pace. At present, scaffolding is being installed at the gopuram for executing the works.
Temple authorities have set February last week as the deadline for completing the works before the commencement of annual Brahmotsavamas at the temple in March.
Vemulawada temple gold plating next in the pipeline
Once the gold plating of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple’s Vimana Gopuram is completed, the State government would replicate the works at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada.
Already, Endowments Minister Konda Surekha had initiated works towards this effect. Instructions have been issued to the officials to prepare the estimates for taking up the project.
At a meeting with officials on Thursday, the Minister said with the approval of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the project would be taken up with 16 kgs of gold and Rs.6 crore funds.
Unlike the Yadagirigutta Vimana Gopuram, which covers nearly 10,000 square feet, the Vemulawada gopuram covers 3,200 square feet of space. Before taking up the gold plating works, officials have to take up copper plating works atop the tower and it takes about six months to complete this exercise.
