A pilot project on renovation of a portion of the rampart of the Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple taken up in December last year, is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
A 50-metre stretch was taken up for renovation for the first time by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The project was aimed at estimating the investment that will be required to renovate the entire ramparts spread over the seven “prakarams” (tiruchutru) measuring 32,590 feet approximately 9,934 metres.
The State government had appointed V.T. Narasimhan, former Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India, as consultant archaeologist/conservationist, to oversee the project.
According to official sources, the rampart wall was renovated between the junction of the West Uthira Street and South Uthira Street.
Re-builtStone boulders which were intact without any damage have been re-built, those damaged boulders were removed.
Brick structures used in the past have been replaced with boulders.
Plant and weed growth were also removed. The renovation is being executed without any compromise in quality, said T. Jayaraman, Joint Commissioner of the temple.
The renovation will strengthen the life of the rampart wall as a conventional mixture of mortar comprising lime mortar, Palmyra seed, jaggery, and sand were used.
The height of the rampart wall is about 18 feet and the boulders were being arranged in nine or 10 piece between columns.
The foundation is laid at a depth of about three-foot below the ground level. Labourers specialised in restoration works are have been working in the project, sources said.
