Korukonda Narasimha temple cries for attention

Rajamahendravaram: Korukonda Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, once a prominent landholder with nearly 1,000 acres, now struggles to sustain itself with just 18 acres remaining under its ownership. The temple’s economic troubles have reached a point where even daily rituals like lighting lamps face hurdles. In response, a decade ago, the temple was adopted by the Annavaram Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Temple, which has since been managing its operations.

Decades ago, the temple’s vast lands were distributed under various service tenures. Over time, these lands were sold off by the recipients. In a 2019 survey, officials identified 100.08 acres of temple land under illegal encroachments. Investigations revealed that some individuals, with the help of Revenue Department officials, forged documents to transfer ownership of these lands to their names.

The endowment authorities, armed with evidence, initiated actions to reclaim the encroached lands. Some disputes were taken to the Endowments Tribunal, where it was confirmed that the lands indeed belonged to the temple. Despite clear evidence, delays in reclaiming these lands have led to allegations of political interference.

As a precautionary measure, registrations for the identified 100.08 acres were halted, and the lands were placed on a restricted list. The revenue department has tied these lands to specific survey numbers across 10 locations to prevent further transactions.

Endowments officials expressed confidence in reclaiming the lands soon, stating that records have been prepared and tribunal proceedings are underway. The recovery of these lands is expected to provide much-needed relief to the temple and help restore its heritage.