Standing tall in the midst of houses at Mandapampalli village in Chandragiri mandal, this huge, but dilapidated structure is not easy to miss.
Having served as a resting place for the royals of the Vijayanagara dynasty in the 16th Century during their sojourns, it later provided shelter to the pilgrims walking towards Tirupati from Karvetinagaram on the south and Vellore on the west. The structure is now surrounded by houses, but most of the residents are not aware of its hoary past.
“It was Venkatapatiraya II, who used to retire here for sometime during his hunting sprees when he was ruling from Chandragiri,” says Emani Sivanagi Reddy, archaeologist and Chief Executive Officer of the Pleach India Foundation.
He visited the site recently based on the inputs provided by Tirupati-based heritage activist B.V. Ramana and observed the structure in shambles. The structure consists of a closed hall with a facade supported by pillars. The rear portion of the hall has collapsed and the roof slabs of the porch have fallen.
“We are on the verge of losing a precious heritage monument,” cautions Dr. Reddy, while making a fervent appeal to the government to initiate measures for its restoration and preservation.
He also sensitised the locals to keep a watch on the miscreants damaging the structure and prevent its further deterioration.
