Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Article in Pudaiya Thalaimurai on temples of South
The Pudiya Thalaimurai magazine covered a cover article on the after effect of Kalahasti and the reporter had an elaborate article covering the trevails of Tamilnadu temples. Our founder Dr. T. Satyamurthy had given a detailed report as well as I (Chandra) shared the centre piece photo) of the cracked lintel stone of Varadaraja Perumal East tower, which is unfortunately not yet repaired, but only white wash (to our eyes?) is going on without mending the cracks.. Also, the claim of the IIT academician does not stand any weight. Negligence and use of cement to further add weight to the already cleaving Gopura is the root cause. The cover picture is of the Perumathur temple which I took while returning from the Chidambaram Symposium.
Please see the link here.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Pullamangai - the miniature marvel now becoming more worser
Pullamangai @ Pasupathikoil, as it is called by the locals, situated next to Ayyampettai on the Kumbakonam - Tanjavur highway, is a treasure trove for iconography, sculpture, temple art and miniatre lovers. This temple was renovated with shoddy knowledge and now there are more vegetation seen than before. We from REACH saw this temple, before we went to Mathur, the temple at the forest, situated at stone's throw distance from this temple.
A Early Chola architecture, epitome of miniature art this Pullamangai temple, also a Padal Petra Sthalam (பாடல் பெற்ற ஸ்தலம்) will soon loose its beauty if we allow mindless renovations. Trees are now full grown, which needs immediate removal. The over-done terrace tiles should be removed and the scrappy 'Salas' done should be replaced with well carved stone Salas.
The latest photos taken at Pullamangai by Chandrasekaran the PRO of REACH and Shriram's photos en-route to Mathur Vishnu temple shows the state of affairs today.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Mathur- temple in a forest
Mathur, near Pullamangai alias pasupathi Kovil, next to Ayyampettai on the Tanjore- Kumbakonam Highway, really is a place where a huge forest ad-measuring some 100 acres, keeps beneath its covers a huge Vijayanagara period Vishnu temple under its green covers! Until the retired Headmaster of the Ayyampettai school, Mr. Selvaraj told us, we were not aware such a huge temple would be lost in time.
Dr Satyamurthy, Chandra and Sriram the REACH team ventured into the forest to find to our greatsurprise and immense sadness the state of this brick temple. Led by the enthusiastic Head Master Mr. Selvaraj and his student, we have no words to describe this temple. They claim it is a private land, and we wonder how it can be? wither the archeaology department or the HR&CE department should look into taking possession and REACH is ready to restore this temple, which is believed to buried under sands when the mighty Cauveri changed tracks and flooded the entire Mathur area some 200 years before!
May be after Cauveri, Headmaster Selvaraj, it is the REACH team which bothered to enter and see the temple in such state of affairs!
Member Sriram has sent his Picasa album for us to see...
Message of Shriram: This small village is called Mathur near Pasupathi Kovil in Thanjavur District... (72 kms from Tiruchy). Here we discovered a ruined 80ft tall brick temple tower mid of a forest...it was interesting and adventurous to visit such a place and it was sad that such a huge temple is in ruined status :( here are some of the photos for you... shriram |
Labels: heritage conservation, mathur, pullamangai, REACH FOUNDATION, temple renovation, temples revival
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tekkalur Temple renovation
All heritage enthusiasts and Vishnu bakthas are invited for the Vishnu Temple Samprokshanam (Kumbabhishekam) Consecration ceremony to be conducted on 24th of June 2010. The invitation is here for you all to see. This place is about 12 kilometres from Tiruttani bus stand.
REACH renovated this temple in record 30 days with a budget of just 1.60 lakhs. The committee is celebrating and also adding for for Corpus to maintain the temple and do nithya poojas for another 1.5 lakhs. Members may see the invitation for the details and do the needful.
Update as on July 2010: Please see the consecration ceremony photos HERE
REACH TEAM
Labels: heritage conservation, heritage temples, Indian Heritage, Tekkalur, Tekklur, temples revival, Vishnu temple renovation
Monday, June 14, 2010
Top priority in saving - need HELP
Dear All,
Even though thousands of temple are in south India, few are very rare in terms of size, antiquity, rare artifacts, sculptures and mythology behind it.
We give below few rare and beautiful temples which need HUGE donors and philanthropists to take up. Many may belong to the said village or town, and they can bring back their ancestral temple back to glory. Most of them lie in and arounbd Kumbakonam and we think that one must have a permanent office at KUMBAKONAM to foresee renovation and have a technical team there planted at Kumbakonam if we really want to take up all these work in gusto. Any Kumbakonam residents may donate space for office to kick start these projects...
We prioritize in terms of magnitude of renovation work in that order, but in no way one is less important than the other, all need funds URGENTLY. Click on the temple's name, you'll be guided to the picasa photo album of the temple.
1. Thukkachi - Near Kuthanoor Saraswathi temple near Kumbakonam.
This is a 7 prahara mandapa temple with rare sculptures and the irony is the Swami is called Abadh Sahayeswarar (one who saves you from danger) but the temple of the Lord is itself in danger. Many hands have knocked the doors of ASI and state archeaology, we wonder why they do not take up such rare temple. A beautiful 6 feet tall Sarabeswarar (believed in modern days the one who will ward of court cases and legal problems to his devotee, myth has another story to say).
2. Kamarasavalli
The name suggests the meaning Essence of Love. But do anyone today really love heritage? If that is so, how can they see this temple crumbling before their eyes and also build a bad gaudy cement vimana over the shrine to further damage the site? Sculptures and icons, pillars are bound to be robbed off if care is not taken. Total re-estimation and renovation is a MUST
3. Manambadi
This is a never- miss temple on the Chennai Kumbakonam Highway where in this village comes just before another historical place called Sholapuram. This comes on the left when you travel from Chennai before entering Kumbakonam. The highways department had crudely cut through the high way across the temple but thank GOd this Rajendra Chola temple (900 years old) with inscriptions first time mentioning the word TAMIL and some eloquntly carved goshta devatas are lying uncared.
4. Poundareegapuram or Pundareengapuram, near Uppliappan Kovil, has some excellent goshta devathas, especially the Ardhanareeswara, Gajasamhara murthy and the breath taking Mahishasura Mardhini. Luckily the stones which have fallen apart are seen around and a full relaying of the weather coarse above the roof top needs a full re-lay up and pointing and grouting of the granite structure..
Even though thousands of temple are in south India, few are very rare in terms of size, antiquity, rare artifacts, sculptures and mythology behind it.
We give below few rare and beautiful temples which need HUGE donors and philanthropists to take up. Many may belong to the said village or town, and they can bring back their ancestral temple back to glory. Most of them lie in and arounbd Kumbakonam and we think that one must have a permanent office at KUMBAKONAM to foresee renovation and have a technical team there planted at Kumbakonam if we really want to take up all these work in gusto. Any Kumbakonam residents may donate space for office to kick start these projects...
We prioritize in terms of magnitude of renovation work in that order, but in no way one is less important than the other, all need funds URGENTLY. Click on the temple's name, you'll be guided to the picasa photo album of the temple.
1. Thukkachi - Near Kuthanoor Saraswathi temple near Kumbakonam.
This is a 7 prahara mandapa temple with rare sculptures and the irony is the Swami is called Abadh Sahayeswarar (one who saves you from danger) but the temple of the Lord is itself in danger. Many hands have knocked the doors of ASI and state archeaology, we wonder why they do not take up such rare temple. A beautiful 6 feet tall Sarabeswarar (believed in modern days the one who will ward of court cases and legal problems to his devotee, myth has another story to say).
2. Kamarasavalli
The name suggests the meaning Essence of Love. But do anyone today really love heritage? If that is so, how can they see this temple crumbling before their eyes and also build a bad gaudy cement vimana over the shrine to further damage the site? Sculptures and icons, pillars are bound to be robbed off if care is not taken. Total re-estimation and renovation is a MUST
3. Manambadi
This is a never- miss temple on the Chennai Kumbakonam Highway where in this village comes just before another historical place called Sholapuram. This comes on the left when you travel from Chennai before entering Kumbakonam. The highways department had crudely cut through the high way across the temple but thank GOd this Rajendra Chola temple (900 years old) with inscriptions first time mentioning the word TAMIL and some eloquntly carved goshta devatas are lying uncared.
4. Poundareegapuram or Pundareengapuram, near Uppliappan Kovil, has some excellent goshta devathas, especially the Ardhanareeswara, Gajasamhara murthy and the breath taking Mahishasura Mardhini. Luckily the stones which have fallen apart are seen around and a full relaying of the weather coarse above the roof top needs a full re-lay up and pointing and grouting of the granite structure..
Those who care for our heritage please spread the word and start working towards funding on each project specifically. REACH has IT exemption (80-G) for Indian donors and for NRIs who can donate through their Indian friends and relatives.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Perumathoor a temple near Chidambaram
Perumathoor Vishnu temple struck us by its imposing temple Gopuram making us wonder if it was made of trees! So muach vegetation and worser on closer look the base granite structures were stones pulled out from some other erstwhile Shiva temple and relaid to build the foundation of a Vishnu temple, ages before. So it seems wrong temple renovations happened earlier too :(
Now, when REACH members were returning from the symposium conducted for Uzavarappani members in Chidambaram, 0n 7-3-2010, the noon itinerary had this temple visit and live demonstration of how to use tree killer chemical to uproot vegetation on Gopurams and Vimanas. Now after taking it up for renovation, thanks to the effort of REACH Chidambaram chapter chief Mr. Aruneswaran, the M.D of Hotel Akshaya at East Car Street,. Chidambaram, the progress of removing trees and renovation has been rapid. The photos are here for you to see.
Compare with Perumathur Gopuram before the trees were removed... with the current status of the Gopuram after the trees were removed in May 2010 !
Efforts are on to constitute a local committee and then renovate with least cost..
REACH team
Thursday, June 10, 2010
TEMPLES REVIVAL: Vepathur - Village Vishnu temple
