Ramappa Temple, Hindu temple in Palampet, India.
Ramappa Temple is a Hindu temple in Palampet, Mulugu district, India, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021. The structure rests on a star-shaped platform and houses a main hall with carved black basalt pillars and sandstone reliefs covering outer and inner walls.
A general named Recharla Rudra under Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva commissioned the construction in 1213 and dedicated the building to the god Shiva. The temple originally carried the official name Rudreshwara but is called after its architect Ramappa, which remains rather uncommon in Indian temple building history.
The temple is named after its chief architect, Ramappa, rather than the deity, and is also called Ramalingeshwara after the Shiva lingam worshipped by Rama. The main deity is Ramalingeshwara, a lingam said to have been worshipped by Rama, an avatar of Vishnu. The Nandi at the entrance holds one leg slightly raised and ears pricked, appearing to await Shiva's command, and seems to face the viewer from any direction.
The site sits 66 kilometers (41 miles) from Warangal and remains open daily from 6 AM to 6 PM with no entrance fee. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes for walking, as the floor surfaces are made of stone and can be uneven.
The vimana's bricks are so light they float on water; the spongy material was reportedly made with sawdust, according to Dr. Habib Haman of the Government Industrial Laboratory, Hyderabad. Visitors once carried the bricks away, prompting the Archaeological Survey of India to take charge of the site.
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