G2-MARVELLOUS NEW YADADRI--2

In the past during last 20 or 30 years our family visited Yadagirigutta about ten times —sometimes to attend marriages at the temple and  sometimes in special visits by our family. We went there either from Warangal where we lived earlier for thirty years or from Hyderabad where we shifted fifteen years back. In those days there were old guest houses, winding lanes and small crowded bazaars on the hill top .Now the hill top is converted by the engineers into a smooth gigantic  rectangular rock table  on which the imposing temple towers ,the “ Gopurams” stand and the long corridors with sculptured pillars exist ! Only the temple towers and the "Prakaarams" (sculptured fort like surrounding walls) exist on the vast  rectangle-shaped solid rock plane.

 

It has to be mentioned that to  many people the memories of the old "Gutta"( temple hill Yadagiri Gutta) are dear .During our journeys from Warangal to Hyderabad and back by bus or train ,the distant view of the temple hill always riveted our eyes .Many would turn towards the temple towers (or towards the dazzling colored lights on the distant temple hill during the nights) until the temple hill disappeared from view. Nobody would take off his/her eyes from the sight of the temple hill until it disappeared from view.

 

 

 I have a few interesting remembrance of the hill. About fifteen years ago during a visit to Yadagirigutta I was sitting on a cement bench before our guest room keeping beside me carelessly my small hand bag (containing fruits and a key bunch) and was looking absentmindedly towards the busy temple bazaar nearby . A monkey suddenly came from behind, snatched the bag and ran away to my utter consternation. It sat in the middle of a high "pandal" erected near an adjacent building, ate the fruits and threw away the bag containing my house keys deep into the middle portion of the pandal. The pandal was constructed on delicate bamboo poles and there was no time for recovering the bag containing the key bunch as we had to reach the bus stand in a few minutes to catch the bus to Warangal which was about 70,80 kilometers away . After reaching Warangal in early night I hurried to the bazaar and managed to get a saw blade and then cut open the door lock.

 

Another time about ten years back during a visit to the temple I and my relative had breakfast in a small hilltop hotel and got ten “idlis” packed in a parcel and were taking the parcel  to our guest house . There were quite many old guest houses on the hill at that time. A monkey came near and directly threatened me with a ferocious look to give up the packet. I had to give up the bag. I again went back to the hotel , got another packet of idlis and took it most carefully to the guest house.