Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana has said that the department was trying to get official status for the Sri Rama Navami Utsavams at Ramateertham temple in Vizianagaram district and make the celebrations a State event.
Along with Minister for Education Botsa Satyanarayana, he attended the installation of idols of Sri Rama and Sita Devi in the renovated Kodandarama Swamy temple on Bodikonda hills located near Ramateertham main temple.
Speaking to media, the Endowments Minister said the government could complete the renovation works within four months. “The credit goes to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as he sanctioned ₹3 crore for the construction of new temple to respect the sentiments of the devotees,” he said.
The State government constructed the new temple following an uproar over the vandalisation of idols in the old temple. Some miscreants allegedly entered the 400-year-old temple on December 29, 2020, and vandalised the idols.
In the absence of security and CC cameras on the Bodikonda hills, the police could not identify miscreants so far.
Both the TDP and BJP have staged massive protests over the issue. Tension prevailed with the simultaneous visit of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress Party Rajya Sabha member V. Vijaya Sai Reddy. The situation came to normalcy only after a week with the government’s assurance over the reconstruction of the temple. The government started the construction in December 2021.
Ashok keeps away
Hereditary chairman of the Trust Board of Ramateertham temple Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju did not attend the installation function stating that protocol was not followed.
Mr. Ashok said the construction was supposed to be done under his supervision, but he was ignored in the process. However, officials claimed that they had followed all the procedures in construction of the temple and invitation had been sent to him with proper protocol.
