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10 things to know about Telangana's Ramappa temple, the new Unesco site
It is claimed that Ramappa temple is built with bricks that are so light that they can float on water. The bricks were believed to be made spongy using something like saw-dust.
Telangana's Ramappa temple has been conferred with a World Heritage inscription on Sunday, making it the 39th World Heritage Site of India, The decision was taken at the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. Ramappa temple was India's only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site tag for the year 2019.
1. The temple was constructed in 1213 AD during the Kakatiya Empire by Recharla Rudra, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva.
2. The presiding deity of the temple in RamalingeswaraSwamy.
3. The temple was named after Ramappa, the chief sculptor. According to the Telangana government's website, this is probably the only temple in the country to be known by the name of its sculptor.
4. It is said that the temple is built with bricks that are so light that they can float on water. The bricks were believed to be made spongy using something like saw-dust.
5. It took nearly 40 years to complete the temple, according to the Telangana government's website.
6. The temple stands on a 6-feet high star-shaped platform with walls, pillars and ceilings adorned with intricate carvings which are the hallmarks of the Kakatiya sculptors.
7. The carvings -- mythical animals, female dancers -- are considered as masterpieces of Kakatiya art.
8. European merchants and travelers were mesmerized by the beauty of the temple and one such traveler had remarked that the temple was the "brightest star in the galaxy of medieval temples of the Deccan", the PIB release said.
9. At the entrance of the temple, there is Nandi vigraham.
10. It is claimed that the main structure of the temple survived a major earthquake during the 17th century.
