he Choppakatla Palem gram panchayat’s reported move to dismantle the dilapidated ancient Siva temple, believed to be of Kakatiya era, and construct a new temple in its place in Bonakal mandal has been kept in abeyance.
The move stirred a controversy among the villagers of Choppakatla Palem, located close to the State’s border with Andhra Pradesh, as a significant section of them opposed it saying it would wipe out the architectural heritage of the village. According to sources, the gram panchayat has earlier drawn up a plan to demolish the dilapidated temple and construct a new shrine dedicated to Lord Siva at the same site. Some of the villagers had also volunteered to donate funds for the proposed new temple. However, the issue has snowballed into a controversy after a villager climbed a cell phone tower in Choppakatla Palem opposing the demolition move and demanding renovation of the ancient Siva temple, three days ago. It subsequently caught the attention of the district administration following a complaint filed by a few other villagers against the gram panchayat’s reported move to dismantle the temple. Acting on the instructions of the district authorities, a team comprising District Tourism Officer Suman Chakravarthi, lecturer in history at SR&BGNR Government Degree College John Milton, historian and academician Katta Srinivas Rao conducted a field study in the village to ascertain the facts. A section of the villagers urged the team to safeguard the ancient temple, ensure its renovation and preserve Kakatiya rulers’ architectural heritage for posterity. The team reportedly found conclusive proof that the dilapidated temple dates back to the Kakatiya period. We have noticed a stone inscription dating back to 13th century on the temple premises belonging to the period of Kakatiya king Prataparudra, said Suman Chakravarthi. Though it is not included in the list of protected monuments, the site has historical significance. We have urged the villagers to maintain status-quo till the matter was examined by the Department of Archaeology, Mr. Suman told The Hindu .
