Priceless Kakatiya Artefacts Rot In Crumbling Museum

WARANGAL: Priceless Kakatiya-era art and historical artefacts are at serious risk of damage as they continue to be housed in a crumbling, dilapidated building in Warangal. Historians and heritage enthusiasts have raised alarm over the situation. The decades-old museum, located near the municipal corporation office, has developed severe cracks, forcing staff to work in fear and discouraging tourists from visiting.

The museum’s rare collection, including royal weapons, stone cannons, excavated statues, and historical stone inscriptions, is exposed to decay because a long-planned relocation to a safer building at Warangal Fort has stalled. The government has yet to release the required funds to move these ancient treasures, leaving invaluable historical evidence to deteriorate in the weakened structure.

Established in 1919, the museum building is in an extremely fragile state, with cracked walls and falling plaster. Staff members fear a potential collapse as they continue to work amid unsafe conditions. The collection features artefacts from the early human period and the Chola, Chalukya, and Kakatiya dynasties, as well as ancient coins, pottery, and swords.

Adding to the problem, ongoing municipal construction in front of the museum has created a large pit filled with stagnant water, blocking the entrance and further restricting public access. This neglect was brought to light when Miss World contestants visited Warangal Fort but could not view the Kakatiya relics.

Ironically, a new facility to house the collection has already been built. The archaeology department’s plan to relocate the artefacts to a modern museum inside Warangal Fort was approved in 2015. Although ₹3.85 crore was sanctioned for construction, delays in fund release stretched the project over seven years, with completion achieved only in March 2022.

However, the relocation has not taken place because an additional ₹2.5 crore required for physically shifting the artefacts, installing protective showcases, and setting up security systems has not been released. As a result, the new building remains unused while the old museum continues to deteriorate.

Warangal MP Kadiyam Kavya recently visited the site and pointed to a collective responsibility to protect the region’s priceless heritage. She noted that the ancient sculptures, Kakatiya inscriptions, and artefacts represent Telangana’s cultural pride and urged both Central and State governments to coordinate for their preservation.

Assistant director of the archaeology department D. Bujji confirmed that proposals have been resubmitted to secure the pending ₹2.5 crore needed for the safe and immediate relocation of the collection.

Historians and heritage lovers are now urging the authorities to release the funds without delay to save the artefacts and enable their display in a secure and accessible facility.