CM Siddaramaiah plans to upstage BJP on its pet Anjanadri Hill plan

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s record 15th Budget may contain an announcement on developing the Anjanadri Hill in Koppal, the fabled birthplace of Lord Hanuman, as a major tourist destination.

This could be the Congress’ political counter to the BJP that wants to sustain the momentum of the Ayodhya Ram temple opening. It will also be the Congress’ answer to the saffron party’s attacks on the Siddaramaiah administration with “anti-Hindu” barbs.

The previous BJP government had earmarked Rs 100 crore for Anjanadri Hill development. This project was of personal interest for then CM Basavaraj Bommai who reveres Hanuman. For the BJP, the Anjanadri project was to be Karnataka’s link to Ayodhya, the saffron party’s most effective poll plank at the national stage. “But only Rs 10 crore was released,” Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy told DH. 

Multiple government sources told DH that Siddaramaiah, in his 2024-25 Budget scheduled on February 16, is likely to earmark funds to develop tourism infrastructure at Anjanadri Hill that has a Hanuman shrine, which is already a pilgrimage site. The plan involves improving roads, developing alternative approach routes, creating a 430-metre ropeway for the temple hill among other things.

The Anjanadri Hill overlooks the Tungabhadra river. On the other side of the river stands Hampi, the world heritage site believed to be ‘Kishkindha’, the mythological kingdom of vanaras or monkeys. Anjanadri Hill and Hampi are 20 km apart. 

There are mythological references to Anjanadri, the birthplace of Hanuman, and ‘Kishkindha’ figures in the Ramayana. With many places around Hampi that have references in the epic, it is believed that Kishkindha and Hampi are the same. 

The Koppal district administration has instructions to acquire 60 acres of land for the Anjanadri Hill development project. According to sources, land acquisition is going slow due to “complications” involving clearances from Unesco, the Archaeological Survey of India and the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA). For now, the HWHAMA has given conditional approval following which works worth Rs 23 crore are underway. A Heritage Impact Assessment will be required.

The Muzrai department is also pushing Siddaramaiah to earmark money to rejuvenate 100 Ram temples across the state. “If adequate funds are not provided, we will use our own resources,” Reddy said.