In the issue of Dinamani (Tiruchy
Edition) of Sunday October 7, 2018 was an article which posed the question ‘Will
Temple Murals be Protected?’ During
our road trip to Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Thiruvaiyaru at the same time, we
had desperately wanted to visit Gangaikonda Cholapuram. But our visit had to be cancelled because of our tight time schedule.
This paper’s headlines are deeply worrying. Our magnificent temples have a hoary history,
beautiful sculptures, thrilling stories about our saints, poets, ancestors and
their wealth of knowledge.
I would like to share this
information filed by a staff reporter of this publication.
“Raja Raja Chozhan’s name
became immortal as a powerful, benign king. He built the Thanjavur temple and
hosted hundreds of dancers and musicians during his reign. Rajendra Chozhan (1019)
his son, conquered Orissa (Kalinga) and built a new capital at Gangaikonda
Cholapuram (1023) to commemorate this victory. The temple is a replica of the Thanjavur
Brihadeeswara temple.
The paintings on the wall
of this temple, commissioned by the later Nayak regime, are deteriorating every
day. The octagonal vimana, the large Nandi at the eastern entrance, enormous main
deity, magnificent dwarapalakas and a set of Navagraha deities on a lotus carved
from a single rock are the significant highlights here.
The single rock Sivalingam
here is placed on an elevation of 13.5 feet. The gigantic form of goddess
Periyanayaki is a fitting tribute to her name.
This temple has been
declared as World Heritage by UNESCO. The temple and its murals are an
attraction for tourists from all over the world.
The murals on the walls
of the temple, dating back to Nayak kings, are disappearing. Some are
completely erased. It is therefore imperative that the Archaeology Survey of
India (ASI) should take immediate steps to begin preservation work here.”
Close up of the painting-Photo courtesy:Dinamani (Tamil)
This neglect and
resultant deterioration of our historical and sacred monuments is a common occurrence
throughout our country. We think nothing about carving our name and initials on
these walls. The Thanjavur palace museum is a sad example of this despicable
habit.
We as citizens of this
vast country must learn about our ancient history, the wealth of spiritual teachings,
scriptures and literature that date back to centuries. Our civilisation is the oldest
in the world. Be proud to be an Indian. Let us revive the glory of our
traditions. The world looks upon our Vedic literature, yoga and classical arts with
respect and wonder. Let us become warriors of tradition, try to prevent misuse
and protect our monuments from vandalism.
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