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Running after fabulous ruins

An activist and an architect are inspired to get into the monumental work of saving Hampi

PHOTO: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH

RESTORATION Sangita Jindal: `Hampi is very precious in several ways'

The pretty ladies seemed to have just stepped out of a society magazine. But in point of fact, they had just stepped into Bangalore from Hampi to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Karnataka to take up restoration work on Hampi's famed Sri Chandramouleshwara Temple. Sangita Jindal, Chairperson, Jindal South West Foundation (JSW) Foundation, and Abha Narain Lambah, Conservation Architect, were here to finish the official work to get started on the monumental work of restoring Hampi's temples.

"When I visited Stonehenge in England, I was amazed at the amount of attention it got and here we were letting an entire area of fabulously carved stone structures go to seed," says Sangita. "We felt very strongly that we should be part of the restoration works of Hampi."

The philanthropic arm of the JSW constituted the Hampi Foundation in 2000. It was while Sangita visited the U.S. under an Eisenhower Fellowship that she met Bonnie Burnham, President, World Monuments Fund (WMF). Through her, she got associated with Global Heritage Fund (GHF) a non-profit agency that protects humankind's most important cultural heritage sites in developing countries,

Hampi, the seat of the Vijayanagar dynasty, was established in 1336. With 136 monuments, many in ruins, strewn over 26 sq km, Hampi was designated a World Heritage Site in Danger in 1999.The first site chosen for restoration activities by the Hampi Foundation is the Sri Chandramouleshwara Temple in the northeast of Hampi, on the banks of the Tungabhadra on Rushimukh Parvath. The founder members of Hampi Foundation include . Shama Pawar Shapiro (founder of T.K.T., an NGO), Debaorah Thiagarajan (founder of Madras Crafts foundation) and Sangita Jindal. It is a step towards intelligent and comprehensive attitude to heritage management. The Foundation also sponsors the Hampi Utsav Festival.

"Jindal's Vidyanagar Township in Bellary is so close to Hampi, that we have always felt very deeply conscious about the historical site's deterioration. We therefore requested the Government to allow us to take part in the restoration process," says Sangita. "Officials of ASI like Halakatti have been very supportive. This is the first time that a private company has been assigned the chance of restoring a state ASI monument. It could turn out to be the first of several successful public-private collaborations and a model for restoration of the other monuments here," added Sangita, also the editor of Art India.

Awards

Abha Lambah, with a Master's degree in Architectural Conservation, has won several laurels for her work including the UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards. The petite recipient of Eisenhower Fellowship and Charles Wallace Fellowship has been instrumental in restoring Mumbai's much-loved landmarks like the J.J. School, Elphinston College, Tata Palace, and the Royal Bombay Yacht Club. The architect is presently working on the 15th Century temple of Maitreya Buddha at Basgo, Ladakh.

"Hampi is very precious in several ways. It is also unique because it has both Vaishnavite and Shaivaite influences. Restoring the monuments here is a massive task as the history of so many years has to be studied before we start our work," says Abha.

The team studied ancient material like Mayamatam: Treatise of Housing, Architecture & Iconography. The research done by Abha's team culminated in a 200-plus document that highlights issues affecting the architectural and structural integrity of the temple and suggests recommendations for restoration. It includes a Conservation Master Plan for the Chandramauleshwar Temple as well as suggests strategies for visitor management.

"We found a curious pattern of deflection or leaning of internal columns, almost cyclic in nature. There is biophysical and biochemical deterioration. The terracotta and brick plasters are falling off. The restoration involves consolidating the structural balance, as the temple is sinking," adds the author of Through the Looking Glass: The Grade 1 Heritage of Mumbai.

"Restoration architecture is slow, laborious work. It is a pity that very few architects are specialising in this field. India has so many monuments that need restoration," points out the architect. And while her team has started plans to restore the Vittala Temple and the Purandara Mantap at Hampi, she continues to be a consultant for GHF's Indus Valley Project and Management Plan for Lothal.

Having taken agonising hours to reach M.G. Road from the airport, it is easy to see why the women behind the restoration prefer the silent ruins of Hampi to the glass-and-chrome jungle called Bangalore.

MALA KUMAR

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