Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Alternate method to clean granite pillars and structures.
The Vishnu Temple after the Aavin milk dairy, at Semmenjeri, at OMR Chennai, had an unique problem.The 16 pillared mandapa before the main shrine and the two 4 pillared mandaps before the Thayar and Andal Sannidhi were fully covered with thick coat of paint. Later the trustees of the temple, found that it looked ugly and they approached REACH FOUNDATION for removal of the paint, without affecting the structure and material composition of the granite pillar.
We took up this challenge, brought in geological experts, researcher from IIT in civil, our founder trustee Dr. T.Satyamurthy and P.R.O Chandra devised a method to clean the mandap in 2 days and one night using paint stripper first and then blasting them off with high pressure water jet. Normally this cleaning is proven and faster, against the conventional cleaning of granite walls and pillars for which HR & CE uses sand blasting ruptures the surface and develops fine cracks. The sculptures on the pillars were also retained to the finest details by this method. Thanks to the trustees Mr. Srinivasan and Mr. Kannan who gave us the opportunity to do this and develop a far more safe and clean technology than sand blasting.
See the photos here.
We took up this challenge, brought in geological experts, researcher from IIT in civil, our founder trustee Dr. T.Satyamurthy and P.R.O Chandra devised a method to clean the mandap in 2 days and one night using paint stripper first and then blasting them off with high pressure water jet. Normally this cleaning is proven and faster, against the conventional cleaning of granite walls and pillars for which HR & CE uses sand blasting ruptures the surface and develops fine cracks. The sculptures on the pillars were also retained to the finest details by this method. Thanks to the trustees Mr. Srinivasan and Mr. Kannan who gave us the opportunity to do this and develop a far more safe and clean technology than sand blasting.
See the photos here.
Labels: cleaning pillaras, REACH FOUNDATION, restoration, sand blasting, Semmenjeri, temple cleaning, temple renovation, water jet cleaning
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Renovation of Anoor Shiva and Perumal Temples
We had visited Anoor or Annoor near Chingelpet after seeing the report of TOI on 7th of June 2009.
Founder Dr.T.Satyamurthy, Epigraphist S. Ramachandran, Members S. Natarajan and PRO of REACH FOUNDATION J.Chandrasekaran visited after consulting with Mr.Devarajan the man spear heading the renovation at Anoor. The photos are loaded here.
Exciting were the reliefs of Ganesha and Jyestha Devi along with Gomukan and Agni Devi found on the temple walls, which proclaim the ancient nature of this temple. Near by is the ASI maintained Munkudumi Eswarar Temple which has also some elaborate sculptures and this ws also one of the temples renovated durting Dr. Satyamurthy, our founder's tenure in ASI.
Estimation is ON and we expect to take this up after completion of Uttaramerur Kailasanathar Temple, which would be completed by August end.
Founder Dr.T.Satyamurthy, Epigraphist S. Ramachandran, Members S. Natarajan and PRO of REACH FOUNDATION J.Chandrasekaran visited after consulting with Mr.Devarajan the man spear heading the renovation at Anoor. The photos are loaded here.
Exciting were the reliefs of Ganesha and Jyestha Devi along with Gomukan and Agni Devi found on the temple walls, which proclaim the ancient nature of this temple. Near by is the ASI maintained Munkudumi Eswarar Temple which has also some elaborate sculptures and this ws also one of the temples renovated durting Dr. Satyamurthy, our founder's tenure in ASI.
Estimation is ON and we expect to take this up after completion of Uttaramerur Kailasanathar Temple, which would be completed by August end.
Subsequent trip details by our epigraphist S. ramachandran and the news that appeared in THE HINDU
