Destruction of some Hindu temples and heritage sites in south India between 2011-2020 - A study
Research and author: Ameen Ahmed
Background
India is a land of temples. There are hundreds of thousands of them across the nation's landscape. While some are new, there are many that are centuries old. If you are a hiker/ trekker who likes to climb the many hills in the old Mysore region of Karnataka state, you cannot miss seeing old temples, forts and other historical structures, that have been dug up by treasure hunters. This vandalisation and destruction, has in recent years been given political colour in many states of south India. A political party and its affiliates attributed the vandalising of Hindu temples across Andhra Pradesh in 2020 to anti-Hindu religious bigots. Subsequent investigation by the state police revealed that the same was not due to bigotry but a variety of other reasons. Of the twenty eight cases of idol desecrations six were for treasure hunts (1). This essay studies instances and causes of damage to Hindu heritage sites in south India between 2011 and 2020 and provides a historical context to temple destruction in the region.
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| The Narasimha temple on the Nijagal Betta hillock near Bengaluru, southern India is in ruins today. Its inside has been damaged by treasure hunters. Pic. by author in 2015 |
A quick online search of news from the south Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu revealed over forty temples and heritage sites destroyed by treasure hunters between 2011 and 2020. Many treasure hunters along the boundaries of Karnataka state with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are led by the belief that treasure from Karnataka Empire (popular as Vijayanagar Empire) is buried in the premises of temples in this region (2, 3). Recent instances of precious metals including gold being found in the premises of temples while carrying out excavations has only fuelled this craze (4, 5). The ongoing destruction of not only Hindu heritage structures, but also Jain temples and secular structures like forts, is a result of human greed that transcends faith. This is not restricted to Hindu temples and to India alone. Similar destruction of Buddhist heritage sites by treasure hunters in the neighbouring Sri Lanka is another proof of this (6). The passion to reach the unknown treasures is so intense that several people have lost their lives trying to reach them (7). Instances of human sacrificed by treasure hunters have also been documented in south India (8, 9). There were some instances of temples also being vandalised for political gains (10).
Incidentally, while destruction of heritage sites by treasure hunters is also occasionally reported from Western countries (11, 12), a series of thefts of jewellery of Hindu deities occurred in temples in USA in 2019 (13, 14). In another incident of theft of jewels, at Singapore's oldest Hindu temple, law enforcement accused the temple's chief priest of being involved in the same (14a).
Below is a small list of some Hindu temples and heritage sites impacted by treasure hunters in south India between 2011 and 2020.
Andhra Pradesh
Telangana1) Vavilthota (15):a) Ancient temples ravaged at Vavilthota, between Chittoor and Puthalapattu. Idols from ancient Lord Vishnu's temple carried away.b) Digging in Kothulabanda and Useddulabanda which 'has a number of with a number of historic and ancient temples.'2) Dharmavaram: 400-year old Shivalingam stolen from a temple (16).3) Chandragiri: 500-year-old Ganesh idol stolen (17).4) Agaramangalam: Treasure hunters responsible for damaging Nandi idol at Abhaya Anjaneya Swamy temple temple in Agaramangalam village, Andhra Pradesh arrested by Chittor District police (18).5) Tarlupadu, Prakasam District: Veerabhadra Swamy temple at Tarlupadu.a) Broken into by 2 people on Oct. 17, 2020. Two alleged treasure hunters arrested on Nov. 13, the same year (19, 20)b) Jewel-studded pot stolen from same temple stolen on Oct. 20, 2020. On January 6, 2021, police arrested a gang of three who allegedly targeted temples for monitory benefits (21).6) Bukkapatnam: Four arrested by police 'when they were destroying an old statue of a goddess in the Siva temple built by the Vijayanagara rulers.' (22)7) Makkapeta, Krishna District: 12th century CE Nandi idol at Kasi Visweswara temple, Makkapet broken by treasure hunters (23).8) Kambadur: 'Flower symbol' at the Lord Vishnu temple destroyed by treasure hunters (ibid., 3).9) Kethavaram village, Bellampally mandal, Guntur District: Treasure hunters arrested for treasure hunt at ancient Lord Shiva temple at (24).
1) Nalgonda: 17th century CE Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy temple dug up for treasure. Acid and other chemicals poured on the Nandi statue. Lord Hanuman’s idol and partially damaged. Earlier, idol of Lord Ganesha’s idol was taken away (24, 25).
A map documenting the destruction of heritage sites and Hindu temples across south India between 2011-2020.
Karnataka
1) Hampi UNESCO World Heritage Site:- A Vijayanagar-era (14th to 16th century) Gali Gopura Mandap structure adjoining the Malyavanthi Temple dedicated to Lord Ram (26) destroyed by treasure hunters.- Pillars damaged by vandals (27).- Navabrindavana, Anegundi: Grave of Vyasaraja Thirtha, a 16th-century Hindu scholar located near Hampi, a UNECO World heritage site vandalized in 2019. A Hindu temple priest and five other accused from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh arrested by police (28).2) Hindiganala, Bengaluru District: 600-year old Anjenaya temple at Hindigala village, Nandagudi Hobli, Hosakote Taluk collapses due to digging by treasure hunters (29, 30).3) Doddagaddavalli, Hassan District: Treasure hunters damage 800- year idol of goddess Mahakali, at Mahalakshmi temple, Doddagaddavalli village, near Halebeedu (31).4) Kikkeri, Mandya District: Gopuram of Eshanyeshwara temple, Kikkeri damaged. Idol of shivalinga inside the temple desecrated (32).5) Avinahalli, Shivamogga District: Five people including temple priest arrested by police for treasure hunting in the premisis of Veerabhadreshwara Temple, Avinahalli village, Sagara Taluk (33).6) Ganadahunase, Tumakuru District: Treasure hunt in forest. Ten arrested (34).7) Mulki: 600-year old stone Panambur Parshwanath Jain Basadi dug up by treasure hunters (35).8) Shishila: Foundation of ancient Jain temple damaged by treasure hunters at Shishila fort gate, Belthangady, Karnataka (36, 37).9) Narasimha Temple at Nijagal betta near Bengaluru: Dug up by treasure hunters (38, 39)10) Haralahalli, Shivani Hobli, Tarikere Taluk, Chikkamagaluru District: A possible Dolmen site locally known as 'Pandavara Gutti' dug up by treasure hunters (40).11) Historic Bidanur fort also known as Nagara or Shivappa Nayaka fort, Shivamogga District: Treasure hunters damage a structure at Durbar hall (41).12) Araabhikottanuru village, Kolar District: Treasure hunters caught by villagers at an ancient hillock and handed to police (42).13) Ramanagara District: Treasure hunters damage hero stone using JCB at the mango orchard near Lakkojanahalli-Shivanahalli Veerabhadraswamy temple (43).14) Bhairavadurga, Kudur Taluk, near Bengaluru: Treasure hunters damage stone mantapa adjoining carving of Anjenaya Swamy.15) Saundatti (Savadatti), Belagavi District: A 9th-century Chalukya-era Ganesha temple collapsed after treasure hunters dug a pit underneath it (45).16) Lyavigere village, Sagar taluk, Shivamogga district: Huge pit dug up in the premises of Ishwara temple (46).
Tamil Nadu
1) Thirukkuvalai, Tamil Nadu: A 1,000-year old lingam stolen from Thiyagaraja Swamy temple in Thirukkuvalai near Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu (47).
Temple destruction in medieval and ancient India
Precious metals and stones that adorned the temple deities not only attracted raiders from far away like Mahmud Ghazni (48), but also local invaders like the soldiers and militia of the Maratha Empire, who ravaged temples and towns of Karnataka (erstwhile Mysore Kingdom) for over a century (49, 50). While Mahmud Ghazni's raids of the temples at Somanathpur, Gujarat in 11th century CE are well-known to students of India's history, the Maratha soldiers' plunder of Karnataka's Hindu temple towns in 18th century CE, like Sringeri Mutt, Kudli Mutt, Melukote and Devarayanadurga among others, have not attracted the same attention (51, 52). Many temples became ruined due to wars between kingdoms in times gone by.
Precious metals and stones that adorned the temple deities not only attracted raiders from far away like Mahmud Ghazni (48), but also local invaders like the soldiers and militia of the Maratha Empire, who ravaged temples and towns of Karnataka (erstwhile Mysore Kingdom) for over a century (49, 50). While Mahmud Ghazni's raids of the temples at Somanathpur, Gujarat in 11th century CE are well-known to students of India's history, the Maratha soldiers' plunder of Karnataka's Hindu temple towns in 18th century CE, like Sringeri Mutt, Kudli Mutt, Melukote and Devarayanadurga among others, have not attracted the same attention (51, 52). Many temples became ruined due to wars between kingdoms in times gone by.
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| Idols of Hindu Gods in ruins at the Manne village, Bengaluru Rural District, Karnataka. Known earlier as Manyapura, it was the capital of Western Chalukyas. It is said to have been destroyed by soldiers of Chola Kingdom nearly a thousand years ago. Pic. by author in 2015 |
It must be noted that whenever the capital of any kingdom was attacked it was usually plundered completely and often burnt. Such destruction by armies led by people with Muslim names, like Malik Kafur's sacking in 1310 AD of Dwarasamudra, capital of the voracious temple builders Hoysalas, is often spoken about (53). But, less known is the fact that such destruction was also done by kings belonging to various Hindu sects. According to inscription stones dating to his reign, Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana destroyed many towns and persecuted fellow Hindus (54). Contemporary records of such attacks by kings of various Hindu sects have also been documented on inscription stones that are found in many parts of Karnataka.
While temples at Hampi near Vijayanagara, the erstwhile capital of Karnataka Empire became ruined due to the combined onslaught of the Deccan Sultanates (55), the town of Manyapura, capital of Western Chalukyas, and its temples are in ruins today. Known today as Manne and located in present day Nelamangala Taluk, Bengaluru Rural District, Manyapura is said to have been destroyed by Cholas many centuries before Hampi was destroyed (ibid., 54). The Cholas were also known to carry away idols from temples as war booty (56). Destruction of many Jain temples across south India has been attributed to their conflict with various Brahminic sects (57). A contemporary stone inscription near Bengaluru City that records the pleading of Jains to the King of Karnataka Empire at Vijayanagara seeking protection from persecution by Hindus (58).
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| It it not uncommon to see centuries' old religious structures under ruins in many of India's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, like at Ranthambore National Park above. Pic taken by author in Jun. 2009. |
When cities were destroyed, people may have mass migrated to other places leaving their places of worship at the mercy of nature. This applied to places of worship of all faiths- Hindu, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. Over a period of time, nature has taken over numerous such sites. Many wildlife reserves in India contain traces of such cities and places of worship, like Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (58) and Ranthambore National Park (59). And when worship stopped at such places and if they were around human habitations, they were also prone to crime and activities like prostitution. A temple at Manne, is known locally as 'Sule Gudi' or temple for prostitution (60). Sadly, human greed continues to take a toll of Hindu temples and heritage sites even in 21st century CE. The arrest of a temple priest in the high-profile case of digging up of a 15th century CE grave of a Hindu figure of the Karnataka (Vijayanagara) Empire in 2019, near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi, is a point in case (ibid., 28).
Acknowledgement:
I thank the scholars whose works have helped me research and write this document. I am, in particular, grateful to Prof. Rank Nazeer Ahmed (USA), Mohammed Masood (India) and Muneer Ahmed (India) for their inputs.
References:
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Maratha attacks on temples and towns of Karnataka in 17th & 18th centuries CE.
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Very interesting information. Unfortunately most Indians believe muslims are the ones who destroyed hindu temples but a little deeper study shows us that Hindus too very doing the same thing as Muslims. They were both interested in treasure.
ReplyDeleteIn the current political atmosphere where Muslims are being demonized by the Sangh and their affiliates for political gains, this kind of article may give a better understanding of our past and reduce some distrust between the two communities.
It is almost a extensive article on the destruction of temples by treasure hunters . Specially in south India. This kind of vandalism is still going on at least now there is police report enquiry and publication and people know the real culprits . By this way at least some cannot blame any particular community. It is a masterpiece article. It thows light on the greedy people who are ready to destroy our ancient heritage for the love gold.
ReplyDelete