Three ancient temples – Kalgudi Eshwara Temple, Beeralingeshwar Temple and Hanuman Temple – in Talur village in Sandur taluk of Ballari district, were rejuvenated by the JSW Foundation under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
The temples, spread across 1.25 acres of land, date back to the pre-Vijayanagar period.
Before taking up the work as per the request of the villagers, the foundation roped in the Dharmothanna Trust of Dr. Virendra Hegadde, of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, a pioneer in temple restoration activities. This was done keeping in mind the challenge of maintaining the archaeological fabric of the temples. The architecture of the temples, built in the Kalyan Chalukya style, had been worn out by time and natural forces such as rain and heat. In order to maintain the originality of the structure, the stones and material used in the restoration were the same as the ones in the original structure.
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The renovation work was completed in a span of one year at the cost of ₹85 lakh. A check dam across Naarihalla, a major rivulet passing adjacently to the temple, was also restored. A large number of trees were planted and pavements were built around the main temple complex.
Many villagers had gathered to witness the religious festivities held to mark the inauguration of the temples.