Thousands years old Sivalingam in Swarnala Tank, Nellore – Ruling party leaders promised to take it out and build a temple – Muslims are hesitating. .

Thousands years old Sivalingam in Swarnala Tank, Nellore – Ruling party leaders promised to take it out and build a temple – Hesitating as Muslims resent – Hindus unhappy – Religious conflict ignited – Hindu organinsations digging history – facts unearthed – Hindu organisations claim they are real facts – Let’s know what they are …

400 years ago in 1751 12 Muslims set out from Mecca and Sowdy to spread Islam. They continued their expedition converting those who yielded to them, killing those who opposed, molesting and murdering women and destroying temples. When they reached the Gandavaram tank in Kodavaluru Mandal of Nellore district, people called Arundhatheeyulu of Nellore region obstructed them. A fierce fight took place and all the 12 Muslim propagators were beheaded.

At that time Nellore region was under the rule of Nawabs and their cruel and wicked acts were on rise. With a view to check their arrogance, teach them a lesson and instil confidence in Hindus, their torsos were placed on their horses and drove the horses away. The horses threw the torsos at the Dargamitta tank in Nellore. The torsos mixed with soil there and their tombs were constructed on that spot.

As Karnataka was under the rule of Hyder Ali at that time and Nellore was under nawab’s rule, they hailed the Muslim propagators as Martyrs, named them “Bara Shaheed” and built their tombs there. In the passage of time. that fact was concealed. The Hindus too forgot the fact. Now many people irrespective of their castes and religion, are participating in the celebration which is known as “Rottela Pandaga” at Swarnala Tank every year.

This tank was actually got dug by Kakatiya Ganapthi Deva in the 11th century. As per the traditions of those days, a Sivalingam was kept at the middle of the tank. Most of the residents of Nellore know that the Sivalingam appears whenever water levels recede in summer season.

Coming to the present time, 13 years ago when Late Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Congress leader late Anam Vivekanada Reddy proposed that the Swarnala Cheruvu should be developed as a tourist spot. With the help of the funds released by the government Bara Shaheed Darga and swarnala Cheruvu were developed and beautified to some extent, even though not as expected by local leaders. Since then there has been a proposal to lay necklace road from Irukalala Parameswari temple to Bara Shaheed Darga. But that is not materialised due to unknown reasons.

Recently a TDP leader and NUDA chairman Kotamreddy Srinivasula Reddy went to Swarnala Cheruvu with his men and announced that the government had sanctioned Rs. 20 crores for the construction of a temple for Sivalingam and necklace road. He said the work would start very soon. He promised that they would take out the Sivalingam situated in the Cheruvu and construct a temple for it.

Immediately the local Muslims started agitations saying the Swarnala Chruvu belongs to them and no construction relating to other religion can be taken up where Hindus and Muslims celebrate Rottela Pandaga every year. They claimed that the tank exclusively belongs to them and took up a rally on 20/11/2018. In addition to that thousands of Muslims performed Namaz at the tank on 23/11/2018, Firday and erected their flags under the leadership of a minority leader, Shafi. They declared that they would not vote for the parties which act against their interests. Next moment, the ruling party leaders Kotamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy and the minister Narayana assured through a press release that no construction would be taken up against the wishes of the Muslims.

At the same time, a VHP leader Menta Rammohan and the BJP leader Midathala Ramesh, through a press release asserted that the ruling party leaders made an announcement about the construction of a temple without any Hindus asking them and now they are going back yielding to the threats of Muslims. They said it is nothing but insulting the Hindus. They announced that they would build Hindu vote bank and would support only those who take care of the interests of Hindus. They also said that when Kakatiya Ganapthi Deva dug the tank, he placed a Sivalangam in the middle of the tank according to the traditions of those days and it has been there all these years. 400 years ago there were a Jain Mandir and a Hindu Temple at the place where Bara Shaheed Darga is situated now. They said these details were mentioned in the British gazette of 1905 and are found even in the books relating to the History of Nellore available in Chennai Central Library. Proofs for this claim are available with Nellore Archaeology department, they explained. They alleged that as Mayor Azeez knows all these details, he got the funds released by the government and taking up permanent constructions to avoid problems from the other side.

In this backdrop, the Hindus of Nellore town say that Nellore is known for its religious harmony and Rottela Pandaga became popular only because the Hindus mingle with Muslims and take part in it more numbers. As such, they demand that the Muslims should not object the construction of a Hindu Temple. They said it would disturb the harmony existing among the people for decades. They appeal to the Muslims that they should cooperate with the Hindus with a broader outlook for the construction of the Temple.

ARTICLE PREPARED IN TELUGU BY : SYAM PRASAD KORSIPATI.

ARTICLE TRANSLATED FROM TELUGU TO ENGLISH BY SESHA SAI DEEVI.