Construction of the sandstone temple began in 1213 CE and is believed to have continued over some 40 years.
The Kakatiyas of Warangal are known for their irrigation works and creating architectural marvels that continue to be spoken about today
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- Last Updated: July 26, 2021, 13:13 IST
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The Ramappa temple near Warangal in Telangana has been inducted into the Unesco World Heritage List, the 13th century “engineering marvel” becoming the latest ancient structure from India to be honoured with the tag. The temple that is named after its architect was built during the reign of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva in 1213 AD. It is also known as the Rudreswara temple was with its presiding deity being Ramalingeswara Swamy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his congratulatory message, said the temple “showcases the outstanding craftsmanship of great Kakatiya dynasty”. So, who are the Kakatiyas and how are they remembered in history.
Who Were The Kakatiyas?
The territory ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty is identified with that of modern Telangana which, incidentally, is the newest state of the Indian Union after it was carved out of Andhtra Pradesh in 2014. According to the Telangana government, the state in historical times had given rise to “mighty empires and kingdoms”. Among the constellation of such dynasties as the Satavahanas, Vakatakas, Ikshvakus, Chalukyas, Qutb Shahis and Asif Jahis, there is the Kakatiya dynasty, which held sway at the turn of the first millennium between the years 950–1323 in the Common Era.
What Is Their Claim To Fame?
The Telangana government says that the Kakatiyas were known for undertaking irrigation works to boost agriculture and were patrons of sculpture and the fire arts. It was their “well-planned irrigation facilities and a perfect system of chain tanks” that saw the Kakatiya kingdom attain great prosperity, which also translated into remarkable cultural progress.
In a nod to the role of the Kakatiyas in irrigation, the Telangana government in 2015 launched Mission Kakatiya, a project to restore more than 46,000 tanks in the state.
The Kakatiya dynasty began as feudatories to the Rashtrakutas, who ruled large parts of Central and Western India between the sixth and the 10th centuries CE, and were vassals also to the Western Chalukya dynasty, which had supplanted the Rashtrakutas. It was by getting the better of Chalukya subordinates in the Telangana region that the Kakatiyas set up their kingdom.
Among the notable rulers of this dynasty, which had its capital at Warangal, are Ganapati Deva, Rudra Deva and Pratapa Rudra, and Rudrama Devi, said to be “the first-ever woman ruler in the subcontinent”.
How Are They Remembered in Lore And Legend?
The 13th century Italian traveller Marco Polo is said to have visited the Kakatiya kingdom during the time of Queen Rudrama Devi and the account of his travels heaps effusive praise on her. Referring to the port of Mutfili, which is identified as Motupalli, a Kakatiya port, Marco Polo is reported as saying that it was a kingdom where diamonds were found. “No other country but this kingdom of Mutfili produces them, but there they are found both abundantly and of large size,” he is recorded as having said.
As to Rudrama Devi, she is described as “a lover of justice, of equity, and of peace… (who) was more beloved by those of her kingdom than ever was lady or lord of theirs before”.
It was under the Delhi Sultanate that the Kakatiya kingdom saw its last days with a raid in 1323 by an army disptached by the Tughluqs being said to have been the cause of its disintegration.
What Has Unesco Said About The Ramappa Temple?
Work on the Ramappa temple was said to have begun in in 1213 CE and it is estimated that it took 40 years before it was completed. Interestingly, the engineers are said to have used what have been described as ‘floating bricks‘, which were lightweight and made of porous material, “which reduced the weight of the roof structures”.
The sandstone temple was recognised for “sculptures of high artistic quality” and the choice of its location has been noted for forming “an integral part of a natural setting, including hills, forests, springs, streams, lakes, catchment areas, and agricultural lands”.
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Source: News18