Hyderabad: Chennakesava temple decaying

Hyderabad: How would you feel when you are greeted by a rusted notice board at the entry of a temple whose condition is in shambles?

That is exactly what the situation is at the Chennakesava Swamy Temple in Chandrayanagutta. One is greeted by a rusted iron notice board at the temple stands as an example of gross negligence on the part of the Telangana State Archeology Department.

The temple it is said is one of the oldest heritage buildings which it is claimed is about 600-800 years standing as a testimony of the post-Vijayanagara period in Hyderabad. A board by the Director of the Department of Archaeology and Museums Government of Telangana declares that it is an ancient monument and a notified protected monument under Andhra Pradesh Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites Act 1960 (VII of 1960).

It warns the visitors, "Whoever destroys, removes, injures, alters, defaces, imperils or misuses the monument shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both." The archaic law that was never reviewed nothing was done to protect the monument.

The board says that ancient monuments are your legacies and not to disfigure them. But, when walking the talk, the visitors find that the department and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation are the violators as they did nothing to protect the monument from crimes listed in the notice board. For example, the old steps route leading to the temple is in shambles. Foundation stones of the civil works are constructed embedding in the temple walls. What is more is nails are used to hang flexes by none other than the temple committee to welcome devotees for auspicious occasions. There is no upkeep of the temple premises and the department did not bother even when a banian tree grew right underneath the platform on which the Dhwaja Stamba of the temple stands.