BG Srinivas, the clerk at Hampi Virupaksha temple, faces suspension from the state religious endowments department after objections were raised by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) concerning damage to a temple pillar. The UNESCO-listed heritage site suffered harm when iron nails were improperly hammered into a pillar during an unauthorized attempt to install a gate at the northern entrance.
The Hindu religious endowments department, responsible for temple protection, undertook the gate installation without obtaining necessary permissions from the Indian archaeology department, leading to ASI’s objections. Despite the ASI’s custodianship of the Sri Virupaksha Temple and its monuments, the unauthorized work by the religious endowments department reportedly caused damage.
This incident has sparked concerns among devotees and heritage enthusiasts, prompting demands for appropriate action against those responsible for the damage. ASI had issued a notice emphasizing that the religious endowment department’s role is limited to puja and renovation activities.
Following the ASI notice, a probe was initiated, revealing negligence by clerk BG Srinivas. The Hindu religious department’s assistant commissioner, B Gangadharappa, stated that a hole was found in the ancient temple pillar, prompting immediate action. BG Srinivas has been suspended from service, and further investigation into the matter is currently underway.
