A recent report has revealed that the 700-year-old Varadaraja Swamy Temple in Jigani — on the outskirts of Bengaluru — lies in ruins, amidst the hum and hustle of the surrounding industrial area. Once part of the ancient heritage built during the era of the Hoysala Empire, the temple’s walls now bear the scars of neglect: faded inscriptions, crumbling stonework and a damaged entrance signal long-term disrepair.
This decay stands in stark contrast with better-preserved Hoysala-era monuments like those included in the UNESCO-listed Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (in regions such as Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura). Those celebrated temples draw conservation attention and tourism — whereas lesser-known sites such as Varadaraja Swamy in Jigani seem to be fading away, hidden by urban expansion.
The neglect isn't unique: across Karnataka many heritage temples have reportedly suffered due to lack of maintenance, limited funding, and focus only on “popular” monuments. As older temples fall into disrepair, we risk losing not only their physical structures, but also the living record of centuries of regional faith, culture and architectural craftsmanship.
The dilapidated state of the jutting temple in Jigani is a wake-up call — heritage conservation cannot be limited to well-known sites alone. It must include lesser-celebrated monuments that quietly narrate our past.
This decay stands in stark contrast with better-preserved Hoysala-era monuments like those included in the UNESCO-listed Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (in regions such as Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura). Those celebrated temples draw conservation attention and tourism — whereas lesser-known sites such as Varadaraja Swamy in Jigani seem to be fading away, hidden by urban expansion.
The neglect isn't unique: across Karnataka many heritage temples have reportedly suffered due to lack of maintenance, limited funding, and focus only on “popular” monuments. As older temples fall into disrepair, we risk losing not only their physical structures, but also the living record of centuries of regional faith, culture and architectural craftsmanship.
The dilapidated state of the jutting temple in Jigani is a wake-up call — heritage conservation cannot be limited to well-known sites alone. It must include lesser-celebrated monuments that quietly narrate our past.
