It was restoration-cum-conservation work with a difference at Sri Parthasarathyswamy temple in Triplicane, Chennai. There was no sand blasting of carvings on pillars, no whitewashing of sculptures and murals, no use of chemicals for cleaning and no building concrete mantapas. It was restoration-cum-conservation par excellence and as per laid-out cannons.
What was remarkable was that R. Kannan, additional chief secretary, Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department, Tamil Nadu Government, and K.T. Narasimhan, its consultant-archaeologist/ conservationist, led the efforts up front, be it near the vimana under the fierce sun or within the confines of the sanctum sanctorum. If Kannan operated a power tool to remove the decayed wooden supports for affixing the gold-plated kavacha for the vimana to minimise vibrations, prevent collateral damage and hairline cracks in the core of the vimana, Narasimhan personally worked on the sanctum floor, which had been left out during earlier consecrations. There was attention to detail in everything – whether giving preservative coating, using pesticide to ward off cockroaches in the sanctum sanctorum, or replacing tube lights with LED bulbs. Even the alli (lily) flower has been re-introduced in the temple tank.
Take, for instance, the restoration work of the pillared Andal Thiruneerattu Mantapam, of the Vijayanagar period. Twenty-four coats of lime had been applied during the previous consecrations, to pillars with beautiful carvings of Krishna, Narasimha, Ganesha and Matsya Avatara.
Parapet walls had been built on the mantapa’s flat roof, exerting pressure on the mantapam several pillars of which went out of plumb. A screen wall had been erected and even worse, a toilet was built adjacent to this beautiful structure.
A special, eco-friendly, organic mixture was used to remove the thick lime coats, which took days. The toilet and the shops nearby were brought down.
“Since the mantapam was at the entrance, a major effort was undertaken to rectify its structural defects,” said Kannan and Narasimhan. A team of officials, including these officers and R. Balasubramanian, consultant archaeologist, HR & CE Department, launched into into action on a war-footing. Using the Devata organic mixture, labourers patiently removed layer upon layer of lime to reveal stunning carvings. The toe-walls and screen walls were broken to relieve the pressure on the mantapam. It is a joy to behold the mantapam now.
Conservation of the vimana itself was a big challenge. It was not an easy task to remove the rotten wooden frames that supported the gold-plated kavacha. As Narasimhan explained, a hole had been made in the north-east of the vimana in the past, which led to rain water seepage inside. Three wooden ceilings, put in place to shield the vimana from the gusty winds off the sea shore, were choked with water and it was slushy all around.
“Unless the vimana’s inner core and the three wooden roofs were dried out, the preservative coat would serve no purpose,” said Narasimhan. So a dehumidifier machine was brought which Kannan personally operated. And soon, the vimana’s inner core was perfectly dry. Three coats of a herbal preservative were given to the wooden ceilings. Besides, appropriate side-supports were added.
Kannan said, “Thirty-two brass bolts of varying lengths, were used to fasten the new seasoned teak wood frame, which was affixed on the vimana on either side, above which the conserved, newly gold-plated kavacha was fitted. By adopting this method, the safety of the vimana structure has been ensured.” Added Narasimhan, “And it was protected from the strong winds as well.”
The figurines on the vimana, including those of ashta dikpalas, the Garudas in four corners and the sages, were all gold plated.
Another important part of the work dealt with the pranala – the sculpted granite spout through which Tirumanjanam water, etc., is discharged. The passage was choked and a special steel rod was used to open it up. “Now it will be a free flow,” says Narasimhan.
Sunken-pointing to fill gaps between the granite slabs on the floor and roofs in various places of the temple was done by using Pollachi lime mortar (a mixture of aloe vera juice, vasambu, kadukkai and jaggery). This mixture was manually ground and allowed to ferment and then used to fill the gaps, said P. Kothandaraman, the temple’s executive officer and Deputy Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE), Tamil Nadu Government. Encouraging the HR & CE officials in their conservation efforts was M. Veera Shanmuga Moni, its Commissioner.
Another remarkable conservation work was undertaken on the floor of the second ardha mantapam, leading to the sanctum, which serves as the entry-point to the shrines of Sri Ranganatha and Sri Rama and the passage where the 12 Azhwar idols are installed. A masonry platform in front of the Azhwars idols too was removed. The undulating marble tiles, covering the original granite floor, were removed. A proper gradient was given to the floor and then granite slabs affixed again. This has boosted the aesthetic appeal of the Chola architecture in the Ranganatha shrine.
In sum, mosaic tiles, covering a floor space of 1,400 sq.ft. in the ardha mantapam and the maha mantapam, were removed to reveal the original granite slabs. Here, unlike in other places, no power drill was used. Instead, they were dislodged manually and the granite slabs were fixed by workers.
The Jaya Hanuman Seva Trust, set up by followers of Sri Muralidhara Swami, made great contributions to the conservation effort not only in the form of a handsome donation but also by giving herbal pastes and oils, organic mixtures, etc., all of which are a result of exclusive research and development done by the Trust, said R. Venkatesan, a member.
These products were used for the first time in the Parthasarathy temple.
As an archaeologist-conservationist put it, the restoration, conservation and preservation work done at the Parthasarathy temple now, will prove to be a fine model for other conservation agencies to follow.
