HYDERABAD, INDIA, November 27, 2020 (Telangana Today): For many decades in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, temples used to be in shambles, with many historic ones beginning to fall apart with no repair, conservation or maintenance works taken up. Priests, too, struggled to stay afloat, with the mediocre salaries being barely enough for two square meals a day. From 2014, things have changed. Temples in Telangana [which split off from Andhra] have seen a major metamorphosis with the TRS government also paying attention to the living conditions of priests, ensuring that they get salaries on par with government employees. Right from performing yagams for the well being of the State to the construction of the Yadadri temple and the allocation of funds for the development of other popular temples in the State, key initiatives over the last six years are bearing fruit.
As promised, with Telangana attaining statehood, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao fulfilled his vows by presenting gold ornaments at Sri Bhadrakali Temple in Warangal, Kuravi Veerabhadra Swamy Temple in Mahabubabad, Sri Kanakadurga Temple in Vijayawada and Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati. To develop a world-class temple tourism site, Rao started the construction of the Yadadri temple at a cost of over US$270 million and regularly inspected the progress. The works were already completed, with Yadadri already earning a name for itself as Telangana’s spiritual capital. During his visit to the districts, the Chief Minister also asked officials to expedite works pertaining to the development of Sri Vemulawada Raja Rajeswara Swamy Temple, Sri Gnana Saraswathi Temple at Basar, Sri Bhadrakali Temple in Warangal and Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple in Bhadrachalam.
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