Heritage row in Telangana after 800-year-old Shiva Temple razed in Warangal, case filed

Public outrage has intensified following the demolition of an 800-year-old Kakatiya-era Shiva temple in Warangal district.

The razing of an 800-year-old Kakatiya-era Shiva temple in Telangana’s Warangal district has sparked massive outrage, with historians and the Union Ministry of Culture calling for accountability. Located at Ashok Nagar in Khanapur Mandal, the temple was allegedly bulldozed to clear land for a government Integrated School.

History of the temple

Dating to the era of 13th-century Kakatiya ruler Ganapatideva, the temple site featured a rare Telugu inscription from February 1231 AD with seven lines referring to the king as ‘Maharaja’ and ‘Rajadhirajulu.’

The monument, which was documented by the Heritage Department in 1965, stood in the historic Kota Katta mud fort region famous for its ancient defensive structures. According to experts, the site could have been conserved or relocated instead of being razed.

Complaint registered

Telangana rights lawyer Rama Rao Immaneni subsequently approached the National Monuments Authority with a complaint, prompting the Union Ministry of Culture and the Archaeology Department to register a case.

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Legal action has been sought under Section 30 of the Telangana Heritage Act against officials who allegedly permitted the demolition work without obtaining mandatory clearances from the Archaeology and Endowments Departments. The complaint further accused the state government of not setting up the mandatory Heritage Conservation Committee.

The response

Responding to the backlash, the Warangal District Collector’s office issued a clarification following a joint inspection on May 6. The administration denied deliberate demolition, claiming only “remnants of an old dilapidated structure” were found while clearing dense bushes on the 30-acre site. Officials noted the structure was not officially recorded as a protected monument.

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Amid mounting outrage, Satya Sharada and Donthi Madhava Reddy inspected the site and announced that the temple would be rebuilt at the same spot. They said historians, Stapathis and the Archaeology Department would be involved in the restoration process, while efforts would also begin to formally protect the heritage site.