Pachala Someshvara Complex: Restoration of Shrines and Mandapa (Panagal, Telangana)

The temple at Panagal, on the outskirts of the town of Nalgonda, two hours’ drive from Hyderabad, is one of the forgotten treasures of Telangana. It dates from the twelfth century, when this part of the Deccan was governed by feudatories of the great Chalukya rulers of Kalyan. The Panagal complex in Telangana is one of the few surviving examples of temple architecture and art from this period.

Since those times, the complex became neglected, and in recent years it was poorly restored. The site is a living temple complex, popular with local worshippers and pilgrims at the annual Maha Shivaratri festival. Despite its poor condition, the complex preserves its original quartet of small, towered shrines, one dedicated to Pachala Someshvara, a form of Shiva, the principal deity. The four shrines face into a large, common mandapa that was originally open, but is now crudely walled-in. Columns here have their shafts covered with reliefs, as do the basements and walls of the shrines. These well-preserved, exquisite carvings of Hindu gods and goddesses and popular legends represent a sculptural tradition that has mainly been lost in Telangana.

In consideration of the historical and architectural importance of the Panagal shrines and the artistic glory of its sculptures, the DHF proposes to collaborate with the Department of Heritage Telangana, Government of Telangana in a comprehensive restoration project.

Funds are sought to support an extensive photogrammetric survey to assess the deterioration of the granite blocks of the temple. Funding is also required to provide specialist advice to the Department on the best techniques to rehabilitate the existing blocks and develop a suitable policy to remove unsightly additions and replace missing blocks.