Bidar
Increasing soil excavation activity around the historic Bidar’s revered Papanashini Shivling Temple has triggered growing concern among devotees, residents, and environmental observers, who warn that the surrounding hillocks are being rapidly degraded. The area, long known for its natural beauty, birdlife, and serene spiritual atmosphere, is now witnessing extensive earthmoving operations.
The temple, located in a scenic pocket of Bidar city, is traditionally valued not only as a religious site but also as a tranquil ecological zone framed by rocky hillocks and greenery. Visitors and devotees have often described it as a place where natural landscapes and spiritual significance coexist. However, that balance is now perceived to be under strain due to ongoing excavation works.
Heavy machinery, including excavators and earthmovers, has reportedly been deployed to cut into adjacent hillocks. Soil from one of the nearby slopes—particularly along the stretch leading from the temple’s Kalyana Mantapa toward the adjoining lake—is being transported for use in a separate development project in the vicinity.
Local residents say continuous digging is visibly altering the terrain, reducing hill height and damaging the natural contours that define the temple’s surroundings. They also fear that the activity is disrupting habitats of birds and small wildlife that depend on the rocky ecosystem.
Environmental observers have expressed concern that such unregulated excavation runs contrary to earlier assurances under heritage-sensitive development initiatives, including the PRASAD scheme, which aims to enhance pilgrimage sites while preserving their ecological character. They argue that development work should not come at the cost of irreversible environmental damage.
Devotees and community members are now urging the district administration to intervene promptly. They have called for stricter monitoring of excavation activities, regulation of soil removal, and a balanced approach that safeguards both infrastructure development and the ecological integrity of the temple surroundings.
As concerns grow, locals stress that preserving the natural hillocks is essential not only for environmental reasons but also for maintaining the spiritual and cultural identity of this historic site.