Speakers say archaeological evidence is key to restoration of ancient temples

IGNCA Regional Director K.T.V. Raghavan felicitating TTD trust board former member G. Bhanuprakash Reddy and historians Emani Sivanagi Reddy and D. Kirankranth Chowdary, in Tirupati on Sunday.

Speakers at the lecture on temple architecture conducted by the Tirupati Regional Centre of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), functioning under the Union Ministry of Culture, explained the importance of archaeological evidence in the restoration of ancient temples and the preservation of national heritage structures.

The sixth lecture in the series, on “Temples of Andhra Pradesh in Archaeological Perspective,” was conducted at TTD’s Shilpakalashala, the Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture. Renowned archaeologist and Sthapati Emani Sivanagi Reddy recalled how inscriptions, sculpture, and architectural features can help in understanding the evolution of temple architecture across different historical periods.

TTD’s former trust board member G. Bhanuprakash Reddy explained the role of temples in preserving India’s spiritual, cultural, and architectural traditions, adding that Andhra Pradesh possesses a remarkable temple heritage reflecting devotion, artistic vision, and architectural expertise.

IGNCA Regional Director K. T. V. Raghavan said that the collaboration with the TTD benefited the regional centre in conducting more awareness sessions on temple architecture. Shilpakalashala Principal Venkat Reddy and historian D. Kirankranth Chowdary were among the participants.