800-year-old Shiva Temple demolished in Bhagyanagar (Telangana) to make room for a school

Bhagyanagar, Telangana – An 800-year-old Shiva Temple from the Kakatiya period was demolished in Warangal district to make room for a government school. Located in Ashok Nagar in the Khanapur area, the temple dated back to the reign of 13th-century Kakatiya ruler Ganapatideva.

The temple site contained a rare seven-line Telugu inscription from February 1231 AD referring to the king as “Maharaja” and “Rajadhirajulu”. The structure had been documented by the Heritage Department in 1965 and stood within the historic “Kota Katta” mud fort region, known for its ancient fortifications. Archaeology experts stated that the heritage site could easily have been preserved or relocated.

🚨 800-Year-Old Shiva Temple Demolished for School in Telangana

A 13th-century Shiva temple from the Kakatiya era, protected since 1965, was bulldozed in Warangal district, despite its heritage status. Archaeologists say it could have been preserved or relocated.

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Complaint filed over demolition of Temple

A complaint regarding the demolition was filed before the National Monuments Authority by Telangana advocate Rama Rao Immaneni. Following this, the Union Ministry of Culture and the Archaeology Department registered a case. Legal action is being sought under Section 30 of the Telangana Heritage Act against officials who allegedly permitted the demolition without mandatory approvals from the Archaeology and Endowments Departments. The complaint also accused the State Government of failing to establish the mandatory Heritage Conservation Committee.

Congress MLA visits the site

The Warangal district administration rejected allegations that the temple was deliberately demolished. Officials claimed that only “remnants of an old dilapidated structure” were found while clearing dense bushes on the 30-acre site and stated that the structure was not officially recorded as a protected monument.

However, amid growing public outrage, Warangal District Collector Dr Satya Sharada and Narsampet MLA Donthi Madhava Reddy visited the site and assured that the temple would be fully reconstructed at the same location. The restoration work will reportedly be undertaken in consultation with historians, traditional architects and the Archaeology Department, along with steps to formally protect the site.