This story is from January 9, 2018

In Mahabubnagar, 8th century temple stands test of time

In Mahabubnagar, 8th century temple stands test of time
Broken statue of Lord Mahavir Jain.
HYDERABAD:A Jain temple, estimated to be constructed around eight century AD and converted into a Lord Shiva temple in the 10th century in Jadcharla of Mahabubnagar district, is lying in a shambles.
It is known as Parusavedeeswara temple and is located on the banks of Meenambaram, a tributary of the river Krishna near Jadcharla in Mahabubnagar district.
According to Telangana Jagruti History wing expert Sri Ramoju Haragopal, “The original temple is in a dilapidated condition.
The statute of Lord Mahavir Jain was kept aside in the temple. An inscription found in the temple reveals that one Agastya guru converted the temple into that of Lord Shiva during the last days of the rule of Krishna Rashtrakuta-3.”
“A statue of a goddess carved during the Rashtrakuta period was found in the middle of the river. The statute resembles Chamundi. The original temple gets immersed when the tributary is in full spate during the rainy season. We found fossilized trees that may be as old as 1,300 years old,” Haragopal added.
Rashtrakuta king Krishna-3 ruled between 939 and 967 AD and installed the inscription. “During the last of the Rashtrakutas, the kingdom was in trouble and there was no protection for Jain and Buddhist temples. Subsequently, it was converted into a temple for Shiva. There is enough evidence to indicate that this temple belonged to Jains,” said Haragopal.
Due to the complete apathy of the state government, locals are trying to restore the temple themselves. “The government should come forward and restore the temple as it has got a lot of historical significance,” said a local resident.
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About the Author
U Sudhakar Reddy

Sudhakar Reddy Udumula is the Editor (Investigation) at the Times of India, Hyderabad. Following the trail of migration and drought across the rustic landscape of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Sudhakar reported extensively on government apathy, divisive politics, systemic gender discrimination, agrarian crisis and the will to survive great odds. His curiosity for peeking behind the curtain triumphed over the criminal agenda of many scamsters in the highest political and corporate circles, making way for breaking stories such as Panama Papers Scam, Telgi Stamp Paper Scam, and many others. His versatility in reporting extended to red corridors of left-wing extremism where the lives of security forces and the locals in Maoist-affected areas were key points of investigation. His knack for detail provided crucial evidence of involvement from overseas in terrorist bombings in Hyderabad.

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