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Photos : K. Ganesan

Cleaning Giving a facelift. The paintings displayed at the marriage hall

Many of these centuries old paintings that adorn the marriage hall at Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple at a height of 27 feet, are covered in decades of dust and soot. They have not only lost their original colour and sheen but are also plagued by cracks, stains and blotches and corroded surfaces. They are like testimonials to utter human neglect coupled with vagaries of weather.

A 10-member team from Regional Conservation Laboratory (RCL), Mysore, is camping in town to restore the glory of these paintings.

“Most of the 122 paintings depict the 64 Thiruvilayadals of Lord Shiva,” says B. Raja, Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer of the Temple. The work involves restoring the visual splendour and preserving the paintings.

B.V. Kharbade, Scientist and the RCL Head, says his team has calculated the age of paintings to be 100 or 150 years old with scientific examination mostly based on painting techniques and materials used in them.

Probably, the paintings were given a retouch by artists not by conservators in 1930’s as few paintings bear the dates of the year in Tamil.

The main reason for the deterioration of the paintings is the use of wooden panels to which the paintings were fixed. Naturally, all wood emits an acidic fume that has taken the toll on the canvas and then the paintings, Mr. Kharbade shares.

After the scientific process, the conservation work will provide a new canvas that will be attached to the wooden panel and not fixed to it as it was done earlier, he says and adds that his team carries out conservation works as per the standard procedures in conservation.

From reaching to the painting, removing and protecting it, the conservation team needs loads of patience and perseverance, says S. Suresh, repairer and adds that they have so far taken 18 paintings.

He says that for every painting, the team members painstakingly identify the essential problems and work on them to retain the visual sensibilities.

So far the team has taken out paintings titled ‘Vidaiyilachinai ittathu,’ ‘Palahai Ittathu,’ ‘Isai Vathu Vendrathu,’ ‘Valaiyal Vitrathu,’ ‘Virahu Vitrathu,’ says K. Uma, a team member.

The paintings narrate the history and flowery tales more sweetly but they will be more attractive with captions, says Vibhash Kumar, another conservation trainee.

He adds that the paintings have to be preserved because though similar paintings can be created as there are many experts in Thanjavur paintings but they cannot bring in the same colour schemes and themes as the paintings are made with natural dyes and vegetable colours.

Briefing about the process, Mr. Vibhash Kumar says that their conservation works of paintings at the temple involves 18-layered process that begins with graphic documentation and diagnosing the problems in the painting such as cracks, flaking, dust and dirt, canvas loss, loss of paint, biological infection of fungi and insects.

After diagnosing the problems, the conservators involve themselves in photo documentation and remove the glasses and wooden parts from the paintings. Then begins the treatment processes such as ‘consolidation’ and ‘facing’ that gives a scientific protective treatment to the paintings and its surfaces to protect it from water leakage, dust and pollution.

As part of the treatment process, the team members also treat the wood panel by filling up the screw and nail holes with insecticides and protective layers to escape the invasion caused by insects. Similarly, the canvass on which the painting would be pasted is treated with natural and scientific-treated adhesives.

Next, filling of colours is done to give a better look to the paintings by toning down the colours to match the existing pattern, says Vibhash Kumar. He assures that the paintings can retain the enhanced look for a century if maintained well.

Mr. Vibash Kumar voices his concern over the lack of interest for conservation among the countrymen. He says that every five feet, the country has repertoire of artefacts and rich heritage bequeathed by many kings and queens that warrants preservation and conservation but not many are aware of the necessity of preserving them.

After restoration, what? Mr. Raja says that the temple has assured of taking steps for proper maintenance. The conservators say that there is a need to block the aeration in the mandap which is not viable. It may result in suffocation during the performance of temple rituals.

“We are sure to implement some maintenance measures after the work,” Mr. Raja adds. He also plans to take photographs of the paintings and display them at the ground level for better visibility.

The team, comprising students from Thanjavur and Kumbakonam, plans to stay in the city for a year to reclaim the lost lustre of the paintings that trumpet the country’s culture and tradition.

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