VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Ramappa Temple /Ramappa Kakatiya Ramalingeshwara (Rudreshwara) Temple, Ramappa, Mulugu, Telangana.

Wednesday, 21 May 2025

Ramappa Temple /Ramappa Kakatiya Ramalingeshwara (Rudreshwara) Temple, Ramappa, Mulugu, Telangana.

Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Ramappa in Mulugu District in Telangana State, is a UNESCO-approved monument. Since 25 July 2021, the temple has been inscribed on the World Heritage List of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Inscription on this List confirms the Outstanding Universal Value of a cultural or natural property that deserves protection for the benefit of all humanity.

ARCHITECTURE

The main entrance faces east. The Sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha) contains a black basalt Shiva Linga installed on a high pedestal. The temple stands on a raised star-shaped platform that is 6.5 feet high and has a 10-foot circumambulation path. The sandbox technology is adopted to make the foundation strong. The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha), antarala, and maha mandapa with lateral porched entrances on three sides. Built with koshtas, and are empty without images now. The pillars and mandapa ceilings have intricate and elaborate carvings. The sculptural excellence of Ramappa is exhibited in every inch of the temple as displayed in the form of richly carved architraves, door jambs, lintels, elephant freezes, lion freezes, decorative motifs, Rishis, Siva, Narasimha, Ganesha, and Bhairava, etc.

Inside, over the central maha mandapa/ankana ceiling, is a magnificent display of sculptures depicting scenes from Ramayana, Sivapurana, and other mythological narratives. Some of them are Gajasamhara Murthy, Thiripurasamhara Murthy, Nataraja, etc.

The building features decorated beams and pillars of carved granite and dolerite with a distinctive and pyramidal Vimana with 4 tiers (horizontally stepped tower) made of lightweight porous bricks, so-called ‘floating bricks’, which reduced the weight of the roof structures. The vimana is externally cruciform in plan, fronted by an antarala (vestibule) with a sukhanasi roof.

The striking peculiarity of the building lies in the arrangement of bracket figures above the kakshasana level, decorated with slender, graceful Madanikas, Naginis, etc, in different poses. The Madanikas are not like the Chalukya style, but slim. Some of them are Nagini, Dalamalika, Gayani, Mardala, and many more such beautiful figures. All the figures are carved in high relief, deeply undercut, and most proportionately modeled and ornamented. The sculptures depict the powerful emotions of the human heart.

1 - Nagini with two snakes

Holds a snake in upheld hands, and another one is hanging like a garland. She is portrayed as a tantric figure, and the coiled snake at her feet represents the Kundalini force. Her serene expression reveals she has attained siddhi.

2 – Dalamalika

Dalamalika - the woman gracefully garlanding herself with a branch. Adorned with ornaments like padasara, kadiya, and padukas, she stands in a delicate dance pose, decorated with circular and diamond pattern garments.

3 - Gayani

Depicts a singer in a tribhanga pose with two miniature drummers on either side. Her right arm is lifted up above her head, and her palm is in hamsa (swan) mudra. Her half-opened mouth shows her singing.

4 - Mardala

A female musician is seen playing a Mridanga. She is in dwibhanga pose, flanked by musicians and surrounded by musicians and dancers.

The other structures within the prahara are an imposing Rishaba (Nandi) mandapa, Kameswara shrine, Kateswara shrine, a pakashala, and an inscribed pillar.

KAKATHIYAN GENERAL ARCHITECTURE

The group of temples and temple complex-related structures in the Warangal region of the Kakatiyan Empire signifies a distinct architectural pattern, style, and technology of the period and is representative of a distinct regional style exhibiting local innovation in temple building tradition. Along with Rudreswara Temple, locally known as VeyiSthambhala Gudi (Thousand Pillars Temple) at Hanamkonda, the other characteristic temples and temple complexes include Archaeological remains of Swayambhu temple and Keerthi thoranas at Warangal Fort and Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, which is located about 65 km from Warangal. Most of the temples show the character and evolved from the later Chalukyan style of temple architecture. But all the temples and temple complexes of the Kakatiyas have a distinct style, technology, and decoration exhibiting the influence of Kakatiyan sculptors. Keerthi Thoranas is another example of a distinct style of Kakatiyas for the gateways to temple complexes, unique only to this region, and a testimony to highly evolved proportions of aesthetics in temple and town gateways in South India. The Thoranas demonstrate both a creative masterpiece and a continuity and transformation through the interchange of cultural values like those of Buddhist art traditions from the 2nd Century BCE to the 11th Century CE.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The shasana (Inscription sthamba) mandapa is another exceptional part of the temple complex, where a separate mandapa structure was erected to house the shasana (inscription) issued describing the consecration of the temple. The inscription is in the form of a poem and contains 54 verses. The inscription starts with, Obeisance to the blessed Rudresvara!. As per the inscription, Shiva was called Rudresvara, and the place Warangal was called Orugallu.

This is one of the beautiful temples of the Kakatiya period (1123–1323 CE), built by Recharla Rudra, a general of Kakati Ganapati Deva.

The inscription records the grant of Recherla Rudra in 1213 CE. The inscription records the grant respectfully to Rudresvara together with Gaurisa, Upparlapalli, and Borlapalli villages for their enjoyment.

(Verses 53—54). The best General Rudra, the sage, rejoicing granted to the god who is well established in the ever fortunate goodly town of Atukuru, to Katesvara and Kamesvara, and Rudresvara, the excellent village of Nadikudi, for their enjoyment.

According to a contemporary record, this temple was built in 1213 C.E., and it is probably the only temple in India known by the name of the sculptor who built it. Construction of the sandstone temple began in 1213 CE and is believed to have continued over some 40 years.

HISTORY OF KAKATHIYAS

The twelfth Century witnessed the emergence of a new dynasty, “Kakatiyas" with Hanamkonda as its capital. Prola-II was the first independent ruler (1116-1157 CE) of this dynasty with Hanamkonda as the seat of power. His successor, Rudradeva (1150-1195 CE), extended the kingdom northwards up to the Godavari delta. He built a fort at Warangal to serve the purpose of a second capital. His Hanamkonda inscription narrates the valiant deeds not only of himself but also of his father Prola. Rudra left no heirs to succeed him, so after he died in war with the Yadavas of Devgiri, his younger brother Mahadeva ascended the throne and ruled the kingdom for a shorter period of three years. Mahadeva was also killed in a battle with the Yadavas, and his son Ganapathi was taken prisoner, and the kingdom was thrown into confusion. Recherla Rudra, the commander-in-Chief of Ganapati Deva, saved the kingdom from disintegration. Meanwhile, Ganapati was released from prison and sent back to rule his kingdom by the Yadava Ruler Jaitrapala. Ganapati Deva Maharaja (1199-1262 CE) was the greatest among the Kakatiya rulers who shifted the capital to Orugallu.

Ganapati Deva was succeeded by his daughter Rudramadevi (1262-1289 CE), who, due to her valor and able governance of the kingdom, and as she attired in male garb was called “Rudra Deva Maharaja”, assumed the regal title "Raya Gajakesari". Her grandson PratapaRudra succeeded to the throne in 1289 CE and ruled till 1323 CE. He was the last ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty. In the final war, he was captured as a prisoner and sent to Delhi by the Ulugh Khan, the son of Ghiyasu-d-Din Tughluq. But PratapaRudra died midway. Thus, came the end of the Kakatiya dynasty in 1323 CE. After the defeat of Pratap Rudra Musünnuri, Nayaks united seventy-two Nayak Chieftains and captured Warangal from the Delhi sultanate and ruled for fifty years.

Ref:
1. UNESCO Website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1570/

2. Archaeological Survey of India, Display Board at the Temple entrance.

RENOVATIONS

It was the Hyderabad State Archaeology Department, under the supervision of eminent archaeologist and conservationist Ghulam Yazdani, that first took up renovation of the historic Ramappa temple in 1914. Yazdani, who conserved the Ajanta and Ellora cave paintings for posterity, also renovated the dilapidated Ramappa temple.

Again, during the first large conservation campaign in 1931 by the Nizam government, decorations and ornaments that had fallen off but were traceable were reattached in their original positions.