HYDERABAD: After six long years, doors to the renovated and reconstructed Yadadri temple were finally reopened to devotees on Monday. At 11.55 am sharp. The gold-plated doors of the sanctum sanctorum — abode of Lord Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy — were opened amid chants by a host of senior priests and rutvicks.
The renovated temple premises were inaugurated by chief minister, K Chandrasekhara Rao during the auspicious ‘mithuna lagna'. Several cabinet ministers, TRS leaders and officials were in attendance at the event even as there were no VVIPs — either from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh or the Centre.
As the nine hills of Yadagirigutta echoed with ‘Namo Narasimha' mantras, thousands of people across the globe watched a live stream of the grand inauguration ceremony of the centuries-old Kakatiya-style temple. A festive fervour was palpable among locals as temple authorities permitted some devotees from Yadagirigutta village a darshan after 4 pm.
When the Sri Venkateswara Swami temple at Tirumala went to Andhra Pradesh after the creation of Telangana in 2014, KCR said that the new state too needed a spiritual hub. In 2015 he announced that the 1,000-year-old Yadadri temple would be developed as Telangana's answer to Tirumala and started work on turning the temple into a grand complex.
The temple complex has been developed on 14 acres at a cost of Rs 1,020 crore. A temple town will also be developed on 850 acres around the complex.
"We are delighted that the CM's vision is now a reality. He took a keen interest at all stages of the project with regular visits, briefings, reviews and inspections. It is a matter of great pride to see the temple finally restored to this glory," said G Kishan Rao, chief executive officer, Yadagirigutta Temple Development Authority (YTDA).
Earlier, at around 9.30 am, KCR and his family members arrived at the Yadadri hillock and took part in the ‘shobha yatra', where presiding deities were shifted from the Balalayam on palanquin to the sanctum sanctorum. KCR also carried a palanquin on his shoulders. Later, he participated in the ‘mahakumbha samprokshana', performed the kalasha pujas at the top of the temple's gopuram.
The temple priests offered the ‘naivedyam' — also called ‘maharaja bhogam' — of pulihora (lemon rice), laddu, vada and bajjis and tulasidala theertham, to Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy.
Apart from devotees, it was a joyous occasion for local shopkeepers, hotel and lodge owners, petty vendors and those selling puja material at the foot of Yadagirigutta as well. "It is very satisfying to see that we have successfully been able to remodel the temple premises and restore its grandeur ," said a senior stapathy, who played a key role in carving black granite gopurams of the temple complex.
