Lord Sri Malliswaran Temple at Kotrakona in Nellore was vandalised by treasure hunters

Lord Sri Malliswaran Temple at Kotrakona village of Gangadhara Nellore constituency in Chittoor district, with its history dating back to the 11th century of the medieval Cholas, is under renovation after witnessing plundering by aggressors and total destruction by treasure hunters during the last seven centuries.

The rock edicts at the temple reveal that the temple was built in the 11th century by the Cholas before the launch of invasion towards the north.

There is mention of inner Prakarams, Vimanagopuram, Rajagopuram, four mandapams, and goddess Bhuvaneswari Devi temple on the premises, but the structures saw the wrath of the external attacks in 12th and 13th centuries.

For seven centuries, the ancient temple remained under mystery, completely covered by wild weeds and surrounded by forest.

Till 1975, though the people of Kotrakona and surrounding villages knew that there was a temple in the forest, they hardly tried to venture inside.

The same year, on Maha Sivaratri day, a group of Brahmins from nearby Agraharam village took the daring step of clearing the debris and wilderness around the temple, and lit the wick lamp for Lord Siva.

Between 1975 and 1983, the dilapidated temple came under the attack of treasure hunters. Except for the sanctum sanctorum housing the Siva Linga, the diggers pulled down pillars, rock-walls and were said to have plundered what was left over after the 13th century. The villagers were in utter fear from dusk to dawn. However, the youth of more than half-a-dozen villages in the vicinity vowed to protect the temple from further damage.

Since 1983, the presiding deity has been given the ‘Dhoopa Deeva Naivedyam.’ After constant efforts by village heads, the Endowments Department agreed to develop the temple under the common good fund with matching grant from the temple committee.

In 2013, the temple once again saw the heinous attack of treasure hunters.

They had violently uprooted the six-tonne rock idol of Nandi (Siva’s vehicle) and carried it to the nearby rivulet bed. They broke the massive idol into two pieces with a vain belief that rare diamonds were hidden in its belly.

After passing through harrowing times for centuries, the temple is ahead of a fortune.

Local devotees led by temple renovation committee members Subramanyam Reddy and Yugandhar Achari has managed to pool up funds and launched renovation works.

A local devotee has come forward to rebuild the Rajagopuram at a cost of Rs. 25 lakh. They hope that in the next three years, the temple will have regained its lost glory.

A local devotee has come forward to rebuild the rajagopuram

For seven centuries, the ancient temple remained under mystery, completely covered by wild weeds and surrounded by forest