EditorKarnataka was once part of Vijayanagara empire, which successfully safeguarded the saffron flames of Dharma for close to three centuries. Also the Kakatiyas and countless other Hindu kingdoms ruled this illustrious land of Bharat, blessed by countless sacred rivers.
The might, prosperity and grandeur of the Hindu kingdoms which ruled Karnataka and nearby regions is very evident in the Hindu temples they constructed and bequeathed to next generations. The temples are known for their exquisite grandeur, intricately carved pillars and idols which had eyes of precious gems.
The plunder and loot of these temples stripped the Gods of their possessions, and many of the idols now we find in museums in foreign lands. The abode of these Gods fell into abandon and ruin as the Presiding Deity of the temple was taken away and sold in black markets by thieves.
Its is estimated that around 70,000 Hindu Heritage monuments exist in Karnataka alone. And needless to say the State Archaeology Department and Archaeological Survey of India is ill equipped to preserve them, leave alone renovate them.
At this juncture of doom, was started the #ReclaimTemples project in Karnataka by Girish Bharadwaja and other Dharmik warriors. They took the lead and started organising the local Hindu community to revive the Hindu temples now lying abandoned and in ruins.
The sincerity of their efforts saw people joining the project and leading from the front. #SundayForDharma campaign where every Hindu is asked to devote atleast one Sunday for Shramdaana and revival of ancestral temples in their locality is being embraced by people from all walks of life. The result is for all to see, as people started working for Dharma beyond the narrow confines of caste or organisational identities.
The revival of Hindu temples is happening at never seen before pace, and two ancient Hindu temples were reclaimed and revived in less than 2 months.
Rummanagudu Shri Neelakanteshwara Temple temple in Kalaburagi Karnataka was revived and NandiMurthy was consecrated and worship restarted.
Another temple revived was Rukmini Panduranga temple at Kalaburagi Karnataka. The consecration of the idols brought a festive cheer in the villages and HinduSamaj united in welcoming the Deities back to the temple.
Bharata Punarutthana Trust registered in Bangalore is leading the activities. The updates about the activities can be tracked via the twitter handles @punarutthana and @GirishVHP
Donations can be made via https://www.instamojo.com/@bpt.
To join the activities on ground, please register via imojo.in/dharma or call #ReclaimTemples toll free number 18002002805