Ramappa Temple

The Ramappa temple was built in 1213 CE by Recharla Rudrareddy, the Military general of Kakatiya kingdom during the reign of Ganapatideva. After the sudden death of Mahadeva, the father of Ganapatideva in a battle with Yadava kingdom occurred in 1198 CE and in which Ganapatideva was captured, the Kakatiya kingdom suffered threats from the feudatories and neighboring kingdoms. Until the comeback of Ganapatideva in 1202 CE, Recharla Rudra maintained the kingdom and subdued the revolts and handed over the Kingdom intact to Ganapatideva, on his arrival from Devagiri.

Recharla Rudra constructed a big Tank, township named Atukuru and constructed a temple dedicated to Siva in the name of Rudreswara. He issued an inscription of 200 lines engraved on four sides of a granite pillar which registers the details of his family and chronology of events occurred in Kakatiya kingdom, besides donation of lands for the maintenance of the temple. 

The temple is termed as the brightest star in the galaxy of temples by Marco Polo,a famous traveler who visited Kakatiya empire in 12th century. During Nizam period, Gulam Yazdani, the Director of the Nizam archaeology department visited the temple and admired the skill of architects. Inorder to prevent the temple from collapsing he added pillars in support to the roof which resulted in the further withstand of the temple to this date.

The Ramappa temple is the marvel of architecture with all the elements of traditional temple architecture. The temple engineering is done using sand-box technology to with stand the earthquakes. The plan of the temple chiefly depends on its special organization. There is a low compound wall running around the temple with entrances in east and west. The open courtyard consist of the main shrine at the center with two shrines on either side and a Kalyanamandapa.

The main shrine is constructed stellate on plan and consists of a garbhagriha, an antharala and a rangamandapa with porches built on an elevated platform of 5’7’’ feet height. The elevated platform forms the pradakshina patha, a circumambulatory path around the main structure. The rangamandapa is a pillared hall which consists of three porches on three entrances with a flight of steps on east, north and south direction. The sides of the mandapa have a parapet walls forming seating spaces called as Kakshasana. There are eight miniature cells placed on Kakshasana dedicated to subsidiary gods. The central four pillars of the hall forms a square which consist of a slight elevated circular platform, this mandapa is known as Natyamandapa or rangamandapa. The west side of the hall opens into the arthamandapa through a richly carved doorway with perforated screen walls. The arthamandapa is a small square chamber which opens the main chamber through another doorway on its west. The garbhagriha is a square structure installed with a big size Linga at its center. On the garbhagriha is a superstructure of storied pyramidal Vimana. The outer walls of the garbhagriha has niches shaped as three storied building on three sides. The nandimandapa is situated just before the main shrine which consists of Nandi statue on a raised platform in a walled structure with roof missing.

The shrine next to main temple on the north side is known as Kateswara temple, named after the father of Recharla Rudra is constructed on an elevated platform and consist of a garbhagriha, an antharala and a rangamandapa with an entrance in the east with a flight of steps. There is another shrine towards the right side of the main temple called as Kacheswara named after the mother of Recharla Rudra. Another pillared hall which is now in dilapidated is present on south side of main shrine. This hall is consider as Kalyanamandapa based on its structure having entries from all four sides (This hall is mentioned as Kameswara temple in Recharla Rudra inscription). In the south west corner of courtyard there is a structure which was earlier used as the temple kitchen.

The Vimana on the garbhagriha is built of the floating bricks, only one of its kind in the country, testifying the engineering skills of the Kakatiya silpins. There is a sukanasi, a projected structure on arthamandapa.

It is interesting to note that Recharla Rudra also erected a four pillar pavilion to the inscription.

The artistic features of the Ramappa temple are the finest examples of skill of Kakatiya artisans for their creativity on the black basalt, one of the hardest rock ever used for constructions. The major elements of the temple art works are the architectural members made of dolerite on which the high-skilled carvings are made with luster polish finish. The ornamentation of natyamandapa and doorways of arthamandapa and garbhagriha are extremely beautiful and represent the master-class of sculptural beauty. The four pillars of natyamandapa are decorated with decorations from top to bottom and consists of miniature carvings depicting incidents from Bhagavata, troop of Kolatam members, dancers and musicians.  The ceiling of the natyamandapa consist of three squares arranged on above the center with circular decorated members placed one above the other in which the central element has the figure of Nataraja and is surrounded by dancer carvings on the lower circles. All members of the ceiling and the four entablatures supporting the ceiling has exclusive miniature sculptures which exhibits various themes from the Saiva mythology such as Gourikalyana, Tripura samhara, Andhakasuravadha and Gajasurasamhara. There are icons of the Astadigpalakas, the guardians of directions. One particular pillar of Natyamandapa consists of minute pores on the ornate element through which only a thin wire can be passed.

The doorframes of the garbhagriha and arthamandapa are the most intricate work of the sculptures exhibiting the high degree of artistic finish. The doorframe of arthamandapa has jali work on either side designed as creepers forming circles in which the miniature carvings of dancers and musicians are carved. The lintel of the arthamandapa doorframe consists of a panel in which Nataraja is at the center accompanied by Sapthamatrikas and Ganesha. The ornate doorjamb have the dwarapalikas holding a tree which produces musical sound on tapping. The doorframe of the garbagriha is also richly carved with different artistic and decorative elements. The slab above the lintel of the doorframe consist of series of vimanas.

The most attractive feature of the temple are the bracket figures of Madanikas, the most admired and popular sculptures among the Kakatiya sculptures. The Madanikas are the beautiful maidens sculptures curved in high relief, deeply under cut and most proportionately modeled and ornamented. Among them are the sculptures of Dalamalika, the woman garlanding herself with a branch of a tree, Nagini, a women carrying snake in her lifted hands, Goddess Rati holding sugarcane, Mardala, a woman playing drum, Gayani, a singer, Huntress woman holding bow and arrow and other Madanikas in various dance poses. There are bracket figures of Yali depicted with raised front legs supported by a female standing on elephant trunk and the hind legs of Yali are placed on elephant head.

The outer walls of the temple consist of series of carvings on four layers in which the lower layer consist of elephants carved one after the other in a row with each elephant in distinct posture, the layer above it contains a series of four petal lotus, the third layer contains various figures of gods, rishis, humans, dancers and musicians. The top layer is again of four petal lotus. There are elephant cults on elevated platform on either side of the steps reaching rangamandapa.

The major festivals celebrated in the temple is Sivaratri, on which various rituals and special pujas are performed.

6AM- 7PM