Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Hoary marbles in neglect

CHENNAI: Amaravati marbles, sculptures of great antiquity dating between 200 B.C and 250 A.D, has been the priced possession of the Madras Museum since 1854.

C. Sivaramamurti, renowned art historian and author of the first comprehensive catalogue of Amaravati sculptures, which was published in 1942, holds them as important as the Sanchi and Bharhut Buddhist sculptures. The Amaravati sculptures are now lying on the floors of the sculpture gallery. One large slab depicting a Buddhist stupa and identified as belonging to the third century A.D is resting upside down, perilously against the brick wall. On the floor lie other slabs inadequately covered by plastic sheets and leaning against sandbags. On one of the slabs, a chipped portion of the Amaravati marbles is kept pin down the plastic sheet wrapping.

The Amaravati gallery is under repair; the work has been going on for the past three months, says the security personnel.

These sculptures were earlier cemented against the wall, not the best way of display. Now they have been removed, and the walls are under repair.

Balasubramanian, curator, Amaravati sculptures, told The Hindu that he had been working on these sculptures for the past 12 years, and the marbles had to be removed from the walls because of the rising dampness. “Once the hall is repaired, the marbles will be restored.” At present, the removed panels are not stored in a safe place.

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