Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Two more Chola shrines to go global

By Radha Venkatesan

Chennai Dec. 22. Even as its move to take over the Arunachaleswarar temple at Tiruvannamalai remains stuck in a controversy, the Archaeological Survey Of India has sent a proposal to the UNESCO seeking declaration of two more Chola-period shrines world heritage monuments.

The 1,012-year-old Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the 900-year-old Dharasuram shrines, described as the dramatic denouement of the Chola architecture, would join the exclusive club of 17 world heritage structures of the country when the UNESCO gives its nod for the proposal, according to K.T.Narasimhan, ASI's Chennai circle Superintending Archaeologist.

Already, Tamil Nadu has two world heritages: the rock temple of Mamallapuram and the famed Brahadeeswara temple in Thanjavur. As every member of the UNESCO is allowed to send only one proposal a year, India will push the case of Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Dharasuram as "extension" proposals to go with the Big (Brahadeeswara) temple, which became a world heritage monument in December 1987.

The Gangaikonda Cholapuram, a replica of the Big Temple, nestled in Perambalur district and Dharasuram situated a little away from the Thanjavur temple have been under the control of the ASI for over 80 years now. But, the world heritage status for the two shrines would bring foreign funds and also stricter curbs on constructions in the vicinity.

When the ASI took over the Gangaikonda Cholapuram 80 years ago, it was a shambles, with the entrance wall and façade pulled down. The ASI repacked the wall granite stone by stone and conserved the structure.If the Big temple has a 215-ft `vimana' (superstructure over the sanctum sanctorum), the Gangai Konda Cholapuram shrine has a 200-feet Dravidian `vimana'. "The two temples are windows to Dravidian architecture. The UNESCO has already given an informal nod for declaring them as extended world heritages," Mr.Narasimhan notes. And, centuries after they were created, the Chola masterpieces, are all set to go global.

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