Atmakur, Kurnool district: The expert panel which inspected the ancient Kolanu Bharati temple in Nallamala forest near Atmakur in Kurnool district on Saturday advised the temple authorities not to disturb the idols and the Srichakra, believed to have been installed by Adi Sankaracharya.

The panel, headed by temple Vaastu expert Sounder Rajan, inspected the temple and held discussions with priests and local people. The priests told the panel point blank that they were against the idols being repositioned or replaced.

Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists headed by Sai Reddy, Pratap Reddy, Veda Prakash, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district president Nagaraju, N. Srinivasulu, BJYM district president Sivakumar and others also explained their point of view to the visiting team and tried to prevail upon it to retain the core structure of the temple.

After listening to all stakeholders, Mr. Soundar Rajan arrived at the conclusion that the idols and the Srichakra should not be disturbed while a new temple could be constructed at the same place by removing the peripheral walls.

Until the structure was complete, a temporary shelter would be erected for the presiding deity and the Srichakra and rituals would continue every day morning.

The team planned for a hall and Gopuram. A compound wall would also be constructed around the new temple. More space would be created for the devotees to walk around the deity.

The rebuilding of the temple was mired in a controversy with one section headed by MLA Labbi Venkata Swamy pressing for construction of the temple while the priests and VHP leaders opposed the move.