Over 1,000 residents of Atmakur hamlet in Warangal have united to restore an 11th-century Mandir that had long been abandoned. Last month, the rejuvenated Panchakuta Shivalayam was officially reopened. Locals believe that couples who visit the temple with the hope of having children are granted their wish. V Buchi Reddy, chairman of the Panchakuta Shivalayam, shared, “More than 100 people come to pray here daily. Despite its historical significance, the Mandir was in a deplorable condition, so we decided to restore it.” He also emphasised that this is the only Panchakuta Shiva Mandir in Telangana.
The restoration effort was entirely managed by the locals, who raised nearly Rs 3.75 crore for the project. They also hired heritage specialists from Tamil Nadu to oversee the work. In addition, 200 residents from nearby villages such as Gudepadh, Thirumalagiri, and Peddapuram provided financial support. Furthermore, a villager now residing in Hyderabad made a generous donation of Rs 30 lakh towards the Mandirs refurbishment.
P Raju, the former sarpanch of Atmakur, shared, “Each household in Atmakur contributed between Rs 2,000 and Rs 15 lakh.” He explained that after their repeated requests to the state’s archaeology and endowments departments were ignored, the villagers decided to take matters into their own hands. Buchi Reddy added, “We raised the issue with the authorities several times, but they cited a lack of funds as the reason for not restoring the Mandir. Eventually, after our persistent efforts, they granted us permission to carry out the restoration independently, after ensuring all the necessary approvals were in place.”
The restoration took over 18 months, with a team of 20 skilled artisans working tirelessly to complete the project. Rethinavelu K, an architect from Madurai, oversaw the work. He explained, “Craftsmen from Karaikudi, Sivaganga district, who had previously worked on the Yadadri Mandir, carefully examined the Mandirs architectural design. They painstakingly reconstructed five pillars and the roof using matching stones, employing traditional tools like chisels and blades to ensure authenticity.”
State officials also praised the efforts of the locals. A senior official from the Telangana archaeology department remarked, “Seven years ago, when the locals approached us for help with the Mandir restoration, we had to decline due to a lack of funds. However, the villagers took matters into their own hands, raising funds from their community and neighboring villages. I was truly impressed to see how they managed to restore the temple to its original form.”
