Hyderabad: The Yadagirigutta Temple officials are hopeful of completing the gold plating of Vimana Gopuram by February 23, the day of Kumbabhishekam. The temple authorities are taking up gold plating with over 60 kg of gold worth Rs 21 crore secured from the donations by the devotees.

The Yadagirigutta Temple authorities had taken up the gold plating works of the Vimana Gopuram of Lord Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple which were started in November 2024 with a Chennai based company fixing the gold plates. According to the officials, the gold plating works will be completed before the Maha Kumbha Samprokshana Utsavam held between February 19 and 23.

A senior official informed that the works were going on day and night on a brisk pace under CCTV surveillance. The works are taken up as per the aspirations and sentiments of the devotees. The gold platting will cover 10,500 sq feet of copper sheets on the main temple, which is nearly 48 feet. “Once completed, this will be the tallest Vimana Gopuram with gold plating surpassing the Gopuram of Lord Sri Venkateshwara Swamy in Tirumala. The Tirumala Gopuram is of three stories whereas the Yadagirigutta Temple has five stories with 48 feet in size,” said the official, adding the works would be completed and everything will be in place before the annual Brahmotsavams in March.

The officials said that the gold was procured with the help of the donations from the devotees. Started with the former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who had donated a kilogram of gold, the devotees took part in the donation spree as the temple had procured about 66 kg of gold worth Rs 21 crore.

However, several works in the temple are likely to take time as many works were said to be pending. The Nityannadana Satram taken up with a cost of Rs 11 crore through donations is yet to be completed. This facility can help in providing daily meals to about 2,000 persons in the temple. Presently, the Annaprasadam is provided in the Deeksha Mandalam arena. The works pertaining to Rangamandapam, which will be coming up in the place of ‘Balalayam’ were also not started. The official said that the progress of these works are likely to get momentum once Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy takes up a review of the temple works as he would be visiting the temple after the completion of the gold plating works.