Ancient Sculptures Restored
Carefully reviving weathered sacred iconography using traditional methods and historically authentic materials.
A Living Legacy of Faith & Craft
From Anonymity To Eminence Saga of Restoration
Restoring sacred spaces with tradition, care, and spiritual integrity — one stone at a time.
Collaborative Funding Model
A Shared Act of Devotion
Every project — a shared act of devotion between Government, Trust, and Community.
Government of Karnataka
Provides 40% funding via the State Archaeology Department and Heritage Conservation Fund, Maximum ₹15 Lakhs.
Dharmothana Trust
Contributes 40% from its own corpus and provides technical leadership and full project management, Maximum ₹15 Lakhs.
Local Community
20% contributed by rest of the amount local village , temple trusts, and local devotee associations.
A Legacy of Dharma
Guiding Light of Dharmothana
Honoring the visionaries leading the mission of preserving heritage and uplifting Bharat.
Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade envisioned the preservation of ancient temples as a sacred duty. Together with Sri D. Surendra Kumar, the Trust continues this mission — restoring heritage, preserving traditions, and uplifting the spiritual and cultural legacy of Bharat.
"
Every stone carries a memory. Every restoration is an act of profound reverence — not just to the deity enshrined, but to the generations of artisans who shaped that stone with devotion.
— Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Founder & Dharmadhikari
Four Pillars of Preservation
Where Every Stone Has Purpose
Heritage Structures Preserved
Protecting architectural masterpieces by reversing structural decay and ensuring their long-term preservation.
Artisan Skills Empowered
Training future temple artisans in traditional craftsmanship to preserve sacred building knowledge for generations.
Sacred Spaces Renewed
Revitalizing ancient places of worship to strengthen spiritual traditions and support local faith communities sustainably.
About Dharmothana Trust
Sustaining Faith Through Architecture
Sustaining Faith Through Architecture is the soul of Dharmothana's mission — where every stone speaks of devotion and every structure becomes a sacred offering. These temples are not lifeless monuments, but divine spaces where prayers have echoed for centuries and faith continues to breathe. Through careful and respectful restoration, Dharmothana revives not just walls and pillars, but the spiritual essence that dwells within them.
Many temples restored by the Trust were once abandoned, buried under soil, or used for non-religious purposes. The Trust's primary objective is to bring these structures back into the mainstream of daily life. For the Trust, architectural completion is followed by spiritual completion. Ceremonies like Kumbhabhisheka mark the transition of a restored ruin back into a living temple.
Since inception, the Trust has taken up 300 monuments and Jain mandirs, renovated to their old glory.
"We do not just rebuild walls; we restore the spiritual soul of a community. Every stone reset is a prayer answered for generations to come."
— Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Founder1991Serving Since
After
Mallikarjuna TempleHirenalluru, Kaduru Taluk, Chikkamagaluru District
300+Temples Restored
25+Districts Covered
35+year Legacy
Stories carved in stone
The Work of Preservation
A glimpse into painstaking work carried out across hundreds of sacred sites — watch each frame reveal its restoration.
Every restoration project undertaken by the SDMD Trust preserves ancient architecture while revitalizing the local community's sacred identity. By working closely with local people and employing traditional master craftsmen, we ensure that both structural integrity and spiritual legacy survive for centuries to come.
Mandya District
Hands of Devotion
Chennakeshava Temple, Sunkathonnur, Pandavapura Taluk
Mysuru District
Rising Again
Sri 1008 Parshwanath Basadi, Muguru
Mandya District
Silence in Stone
Sri Ishwara Temple, Manchibeedu, K.R. Pete Taluk
Chikkamagalur District
Towers of Faith
Chennakeshava Temple, Ambale
Mysuru
Sacred Waters
Hadinaaru Kambagala Mantapa
Haveri District
Eternal Narratives
Sri Kalleshwara Temple, Mutturu
Echoes of Dharma
Voices from Leaders & Communities
"Dharmothana Trust sets the standard for heritage conservation. They don't just fix buildings; they resurrect the very soul of the community's history. Their dedication to authenticity is unparalleled."
"Their dedication to authentic materials ensures these sites will survive for another thousand years without losing their authenticity. This is true conservation in the deepest sense."
"Dharmothana Trust has transformed our village's spiritual center. Not only have they restored the physical structures, but they've also revived the traditions and brought the community back together."
"The artisan training program has given our young people a dignified livelihood rooted in our cultural heritage. This is exactly what we needed to keep our traditions alive for the next generation."
"What impresses me most is their scholarly rigor combined with deep spiritual reverence. They approach every stone with the devotion it deserves."
Our guiding principles
Where Tradition Meets Stewardship
Heritage Craftsmanship
We refuse shortcuts, honoring ancient techniques and the skilled hands that know them best.
Community Engagement
Working shoulder-to-shoulder with village councils to keep devotion rooted in its original geography.
Restoration Strategy
Balancing rigorous historical scholarship with the realities of structural endurance.
Spiritual Legacy
We protect not just stone structures, but the living spaces that continuously spark faith.
A Legacy of Dharma
Guiding Light of Dharmothana
Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade — the visionary soul behind Dharmothana Trust — recognized a quiet crisis unfolding across Karnataka: ancient temples, repositories of centuries of art, faith, and cultural memory, were quietly crumbling into irrelevance.
During travels, Poojya Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade observed that many old places of worship with ancient history and sculpture were in dilapidated condition and thoroughly ruined. He strongly felt that any place of worship, whether it be a temple, or a Basadis or a Church or a shrine dedicated to the grama-devata addresses the physical, material, ecological and spiritual needs of communities around it.
Sri D. Surendra Kumar is the Trustee and Vice President who manages the daily operations and on-site restoration of ancient temples for the SDMD Trust.
Sri D. Surendra Kumar takes care of the regular, day-to-day business to make sure the work never stops. Travels directly to the old temple locations to inspect the construction and make sure the historical buildings are fixed.
Shri Nemiraja H. C.
Director, Dharmothana Trust
The day-to-day administration is guided by Shri D. Surendra Kumar. He also heads the committee that approves the projects. He is assisted by Shri Nemiraja. H. C. who as the Director ensures that the projects are completed on time and are within the mandated costs.
Thus, was born the Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Dharmothana Trust (SDMD Trust) in the year 1991. The Trust has since restored over 300 temples and Jain mandirs across Karnataka, working in close partnership with the Government of Karnataka and the Archaeological Survey of India.
Beyond monuments of stone, Dr. Heggade's greatest contribution may be the living tradition of artisanship he has sustained — training new generations of stone-carvers, protecting the livelihoods of heritage craftspeople, and ensuring that India's ancient vocabulary of sacred art is never lost to time.
"Every stone whispers a story. Every act of restoration is a sacred offering — honoring not just the divine presence, but the timeless devotion of artisans who gave it life."
— Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Founder & DharmadhikariHeritage Preservation
Ancient Sculptures Restored
Bettaraya Swamy Temple · Hebburu · Tumkur Taluk and District
After
- 3D laser scanning of existing sculptural fragments for reference.
- Iconographic research using Shilpa Shastra and temple records.
- Stone sourced from geologically verified heritage quarries.
- Manual chiseling — no pneumatic tools on heritage surfaces.
Structural Conservation
Heritage Structures Preserved
Sri Chennakesava Temple · Doddajataka · Nagamangala Taluk · Mandya District
After
- Non-invasive GPR and ultrasonic pulse velocity diagnostics.
- Historical mortar analysis and authentic recipe replication.
- Precision granite block replacement using matched geological sources.
- Post-restoration hydrological sealing with breathable organic sealants.
Community Empowerment
Artisan Skills Empowered
Sri Ishwara Temple · Haliyuru · K.R. Nagara Taluk · Mysuru District
After
- 3-year funded fellowship for young heritage artisans.
- Curriculum in stone carving, Vastu Shastra, and mortar arts.
- Medical support and pension for senior artisans.
- Video documentation archive of rare traditional techniques.
Spiritual Revival
Sacred Spaces Renewed
Sri Parshwanath Basadi · Rayarapete · Sirsi · Uttara Kannada District
After
- Coordination of Kumbhabhishekam consecration ceremonies.
- Temple Management Handbook for local custodians.
- Cultural event programming to revive traditional festival calendars.
- Sustainability planning for long-term financial self-sufficiency.