Chola and Hoysala idols at risk during Egmore Museum renovation

What we bash not save, we lose, and with it, a portion of what it means to beryllium human.

Over the past month, renovation has been taking spot astatine the Egmore Government Museum astatine the outgo of immoderate of Tamil Nadu’s astir prized idols and sculptures. Construction instrumentality is propped implicit and beside past temple pillars and idols. The antiques, galore of which are much than a 1,000 years old, had been seized by the Idol Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police, and past stored here.

Earlier reports successful The Hindu suggest that the Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu seized respective 1000 artefacts implicit the years including centuries-old chromatic sculptures and idols, carved chromatic pillars, intricately worked woody pieces, temple cars, vahanas oregon ritual vehicles for gods, , among others were stored successful a haphazard mode astatine the rear of the unit’s premises that is portion of the CB-CID Economic Offences Wing astatine Guindy successful Chennai backmost successful 2019. The constabulary claimed that the depository did not allocate abstraction for these idols to beryllium placed there. Subsequently though, these idols were placed wrong the depository campus, with small interest oregon attraction for its storied heritage. This remains the presumption till date.

The renovation enactment by the Public Works Department is presently taking spot astatine the Geology Wing of the depository constructed successful 1851. The operation has reportedly suffered 60% harm with clip and is dispersed crossed 5,500 quadrate feet. Workers accidental that they are presently coating the structure. Beside the Geology section, connected a vacant crippled of depository land, prevarication statues, and pillars, seized from crossed the world, by the Idol Wing. They person been placed connected the floor, adjacent to operation instrumentality that churn retired concrete. The beams that clasp a gathering unneurotic tin beryllium seen resting atop these historical sculptures. The idols themselves peek retired of a heavy furniture of strewn leaves, cobwebs, particulate and grime. Visitors and workers tin often beryllium seen sitting connected immoderate of these past pillars.

Chandan Seetharam, a regular astatine the museum, says that helium was aghast erstwhile helium saw the harm to immoderate of these artefacts. It prompted him to enactment retired a tweet connected X that received a just spot of traction connected societal media. “I was present connected Saturday [June 7]. That is erstwhile I noticed the operation instrumentality placed successful betwixt immoderate of these idols,” helium says, adding, “these idols were stolen immoderate years agone due to the fact that they were genuinely considered beautiful. The Idol Wing evidently enactment successful each the effort to retrieve them due to the fact that of however priceless they are. Why past would we not support them properly?” helium asked.

His begetter VN Seetharam, who takes a peculiar involvement successful Indian architecture, sculpture, Indology and culture, accompanied his lad connected this expedition to recognize the harm to the sculpture. For years, helium has been a trusted circuit usher for overseas visitors and has frequented the depository regularly. “These sculptures are astatine slightest 1,000 to 1,500 years old. The mode they are lying here, and are being treated owed to the renovation is plain shoddy,” helium says.

Chandan adds that determination are sculptures present that would easy day backmost to the Hoysala Period [between the 10th and 14th Century]. “A fig of Chola sculptures tin besides beryllium recovered here,” helium says, pointing to pieces with intricate carvings connected granite, limestone, and different worldly that prevarication without immoderate cover, nether the mercy of the weather. “These are easy worthy millions. They are amended disconnected successful backstage collections. The slightest they tin bash is protection,” helium says.

This is surely not the archetypal clip the contented has been highlighted. Reporter K Sivaraman of The Hindu has written astir the plight of stone, bronze, and wood structures seized by the Idol Wing constabulary backmost successful 2019. For years now, activists person been calling for the constitution of a ‘Friends of the Museum’ inaugural to amended the facilities astatine the depository and support the operation that houses a assemblage afloat of Chola-era bronzes, and the largest postulation of past Roman coins extracurricular of Rome.

N Sundararajan, Assistant Director, Technical, Department of Museums, says that the Idol Wing is in-charge of the upkeep of these sculptures.

Another elder authoritative says that the Geology section’s caput is connected permission and enactment volition beryllium taken upon his arrival.