In a significant step for local Hindu heritage, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Speaker K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the Rama temple at Akiveedu (Akividu), in West Godavari district, on Sunday, 3 May 2026. The event, held at 7:14 a.m. according to the Vedic muhurat fixed by the temple priests, marked the formal launch of the Ramalayam project amid Vedic chants and repeated chants of “Jay Shree Ram”.
The Rama temple reconstruction at Peddapeta, Akiveedu, had been mired in legal and social disputes, including a PIL in the Andhra Pradesh High Court and local opposition from certain sections who had demanded that the site be used for a different place of worship. However, after the court disposed of the petition and the municipality passed a resolution supporting the temple, the path was cleared for the Shanku Sthapana ceremony led by Raghurama Krishnam Raju and his wife.
The Deputy Speaker declared that the temple would be built using Krishna shila (black stone), a durable traditional material, so that the structure stands for several centuries without compromise on quality or sanctity. Over ₹1 crore in donations had already been collected for the project, with funds managed under heavy security and police supervision to prevent any untoward incidents.
The programme drew prominent leaders, including former TTD Board Chairman Kanumuri Bapiraju and Kaikaluru MLA Kamineni Srinivas, reflecting the political weight attached to the temple issue. At the same time, BSP workers and some local groups staged protests against the construction, citing caste‑based concerns and previous tensions around the same site; police intervened, detaining protesters and maintaining tight security to avoid clashes.
Despite the friction, large numbers of devotees thronged Akiveedu, viewing the laying of the foundation stone as a restoration of what they regard as an ancient Rama temple and a symbolic assertion of local Hindu sentiment in West Godavari.
