Close on the heels of the successful completion of pilot project for the restoration and conservation of fifth rampart of Sri Ranganathaswamy temple for a length of 50 metres at the junction of Uthira street and Chithirai street at Srirangam, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE) Department is all set to restore the entire stretch of the rampart wall for a length of five km.
The HR and CE department took up the restoration of 50 metres of the rampart wall to its originality and ancient grandeur on a pilot basis and has completed it at a cost of Rs. 45.50 lakh.
Entire stretch of the wall to a length of five km would be restored soon.
R. Kannan, Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary, Tourism, Culture and HR and CE departments, who inspected the restored stretch on Tuesday, said that it was a monumental work.
The restoration had done strictly in accordance with archaeological norms.
“There was skepticism when the work was started. Doubts were expressed whether the work will be completed. But against many odds, we have completed the work successfully. The wall has been restored with originality,” Mr. Kannan said.
One of the hurdles was narrow space available for work. Vegetative growth and dilapidated condition posed problems.
New stones were chiselled and cut suitably to replace damaged ones.
Lime mortar and combination mixture using inknut and jaggery were used as binding material.
The temple has seven prakaras (saptha prakaram) with rampart walls.
People appealed to the government to restore and conserve fifth, sixth, and seventh ramparts which are in a dilapidated condition.
Earlier, Mr. Kannan inspected the restoration of thousand pillar mandapam at the Sri Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari temple at Thiruvanaikaval at a cost of Rs. 36.22 lakh.
Aadi Theertha Theppakulam (tank used for float festival) is being renovated at a cost of Rs. 11.2 lakh.
He inspected the ongoing renovation works (Thirupanigal) for the Mahasamprokshanam at Sri Rangananathaswmay temple at Sri Rangam.
Jayashree Muralidharan, District Collector, and P. Jayaraman, Joint Commissioner, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, were present.
