New Delhi, The recent rain due to Cyclone Nilam has not only devastated standing crops but also proved detrimental for the historical monuments in the south. According to a senior Archeological Survey of India official, about 15 structures are in a precarious condition and their partial collapse in heavy rain cannot be ruled out.
Salu Mantap in the 15th century capital of the erstwhile Vijayanagar empire crumbled into a heap of ruins by the recent Cyclone Nilam. Rainfall in the past few years has damaged many monuments whose enclosure walls have developed cracks. Besides threatening the structures, the cracks are also posing threat to tourists visiting the heritage sites.
A portion of the western wall of Sri Achyutharaya temple complex, the enclosure wall of Lotus Mahal, the Doomed Gate wall and fencing wall of Gejjela Manatap on the banks of river Tunghabhadra had collapsed during the incessant rainfall in October 2009. During the subsequent year, portions of the Kudre Mantapa, the domed gate, the Janana enclosure wall and the ‘pushkarni' on Bazaar Street near Vittala temple collapsed.
In the last year’s rainfall, a portion of the protected Shiva temple at Hampi, popularly known as Varaha temple, collapsed. Some portions of the Ananthashayana, Pattabhirama, Vittala, Krishna and Virupaksha temples are said to be weak and rainfall in the area has further weakened the structures.
