Date:07/11/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/07/stories/2009110760010800.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Kurnool

Alampur temple to reopen soon

Special Correspondent

— Photo: U. Subramanyam

Ready for worship: Priests performing ‘Samprokshana’, a purification ritual, at Jogulamamba temple in Alampur on Friday.

KURNOOL: The Jogulamba temple at Alampur, which was among the flood-affected religious places, will be open to public on November 9, according to temple Executive Officer Raghavendra Rao.

The temple was surrounded by above 30-foot water and remained so for several days. According to eye-witnesses, the flood water flowed at a height of nine feet over the flood protection wall along the temple complex.

The temple became accessible on foot only on October 19, nearly 17 days after the flood. The temple authorities engaged three sludge removers and workers for five days to clean it up. Nearly 120 tankers of sludge was removed from Bala Brahmeswara temple.

Manually removed

The mud from the premises of Jogulamba temple was removed manually due to availability of open space. Executive Officer Raghavendra Rao told The Hindu that the purification rituals started a few days ago after obtaining ‘Sri Mukham’ (holy order) from Sri Sachidananda Bharathi of Sivaganga Peetham as per the tradition.The last among the purification ritual – ‘Maha Samprokshana Sahita Mahakumbhabhishekam’ was conducted on Friday.

The temple suffered Rs. 25 lakh loss though no damage was done to the structure or ornaments or idol. Provisions, furniture, flooring, records and other fixtures were damaged.

Meanwhile, the Archaeological Survey of India, which controls other temples at Navabrahma Complex started cleaning operations.