'Domes of new Secretariat modelled on the lines of temple'

HYDERABAD: Amid a row sparked by the comments of Telangana BJP chief, the state government has said that the domes of Telangana State's new Secretariat building have been modelled on the lines of various temples, including the Hanuman temple in Gujarat's Sarangapur, officials said.

The domes have been designed and built on the style of Neelakanteswara Swamy Temple temple of the Kakatiya period in Nizamabad, Gopurams and designs of the Rajaprasads of the Wanaparthy Samsthanam (princely state) and the pattern of the Hanuman temple in Sarangapur, Gujarat.

This clarification is significant in the wake of an allegation by opposition BJP that the new state Secretariat building reflects the culture of Nizams.

State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar has even threatened to demolish the domes if BJP was voted to power in the upcoming elections.

Sanjay, who is known for making controversial statements, alleged that Chief Minister KCR turned the secretariat into a tomb like the Taj Mahal to please AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi.

"If BJP comes to power, it will destroy the symbols of Nizam's culture in the state. We will make changes in the state secretariat so that it reflects the Indian and Telangana culture," he had said.

Sanjay also said on Saturday that if BJP comes to power in Telangana, the administration will not function from the new Secretariat as the building does not reflect Indian culture.

The new Secretariat, which was thrown open on Sunday, has 34 domes which stand out as a special attraction.

According to officials, four types of domes have been built. The 'A' type dome is 23.6 feet in diameter, 'B' type domes are 31 feet, 'C' type are 21.6 feet, and the 'D' type domes which are the largest are 54.8 feet in diameter. It is estimated that up to 90 tonnes of iron was used in the construction of these domes.

The main building has two 'Bahubali' domes constructed on the lines of Taj Mahal and Gulbarga Gumbaz.

Officials say 34 domes and figures of lions, the national symbol, on two big domes are the crown of the new secretariat. The main domes at a height of 165 feet, are built at the front and rear sides of the secretariat. This is the first time such huge domes have been built in modern structures mainly in government buildings.

Each of the main domes is 82-feet high (about eight stories) and 52-feet in diameter. These are the main attractions of the Secretariat and are located on the east and west sides of the building.

The interior of the main domes is designed in the style of a sky lounge. It offers a view of the surrounding city from its wide windows. The area of these domes is designed as a VIP zone where the chief minister holds important meetings.