Protests stall ‘plan’ to remove Kadiri temple balipeetham

Speculation over the removal of the bali peetham in the historic Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Kadiri has led to tension, following protests. While the issue was viral on social media that bali peetham was being removed as part of the roadwidening process, the government had to react and ruled out any such removal.

Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple was built centuries ago with gopurams set up at all eight directions in Kadiri town. Along with gopurams, bali peethams were also fixed as part of tradition.

On Sunday, news spread that bali peetham at west gopuram was being removed as part of road widening.

A group of activists reached the temple and staged protest. The issue went viral after BJP state Secretary Vishnuvardhan Reddy tweeted that the government was acting against traditions and hurting sentiments of devotees.

Interestingly, the endowment department released a press note that there was no attempt to remove the bali peetham stone.

Executive officer Venkateswar Reddy said that priests were performing poojas and offerings at bali peethams. “On coming to the fourth bali peetham, while performing poojas one after the other, suddenly a group of protestors came and staged protests", the EO said and ruled out its removal.

Anantapur in-charge collector A. Siri said that such reports were untrue. The district in-charge collector said that no attempt was made to remove any structure of the famed Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy shrine in the name of road widening.