Mural expert Saju Thuruthil restores three historic Fort Palace murals in Thiruvananthapuram

Not galore cognize that the Fort Palace analyzable oregon Karuvelippura Malika, which stretches crossed the eastbound entranceway of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple successful Thiruvananthapuram, has been location to a centuries-old creator treasure. And that a landmark enactment has been connected wrong this historical operation for the past 5 months oregon so. Three mural paintings, believed to person been drawn during the reign of Marthanda Varma, the visionary ruler of erstwhile Travancore (1729-1758), was being restored by mural creator and creation researcher Saju Thuruthil.

The 3 murals are Sreerama Pattabhishekam, Venugopalam and Gajendramoksham. The imposing palace analyzable with accepted architecture, implicit 3 centuries old, besides called the Road Malika, has the celebrated timepiece operation oregon the Methan Mani atop and presently houses the administrative bureau of the Temple Trust.

“These works are unsocial successful that they are the lone works successful the Fort Palace benignant oregon Karuvelippura benignant that remain,” says Saju, manager of the Centre for Mural Heritage Conservation Studies astatine Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, who besides runs Art and Mind, a residential creation assemblage astatine North Paravur adjacent Kochi.

There are antithetic mural coating styles specified arsenic Mattanchery, Pundareekapuram, Panayannarkavu, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Guruvayur etc, says Saju, who has implicit 3 decades of acquisition successful the field. “Fort Palace benignant is the lesser-known among the lot. But it is affluent successful presumption of appeal. The ornaments, costumes, assemblage benignant etc marque it antithetic from different styles.”

There is simply a immense Tamil influence, particularly with respect to the jewellery, beryllium it the cervix ornaments, bangles, hairsbreadth accessories oregon chemoreceptor pins, says Saju. “Women are seen wearing pichipoo (a benignant of jasmine) arsenic well. The colour creation besides is unique.”

The restoration enactment was initiated nether the directive of Pooyam Thirunal Gouri Parvathi Bayi and Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi, members of the erstwhile Travancore royal family.

The process was acold from easy. “Not overmuch of the archetypal paintings remained erstwhile I took connected the project. They were not lone faded, but besides had scratches, stains and were successful a dilapidated information owed to years of neglect. The information of Gajendramoksham was the worst of the lot, whereas successful Venugopalam lone 1 fig was visible,” helium says.

Once the grime and ungraded was removed utilizing isopropyl alcohol, acetone and different materials, the walls were strengthened, cracks filled and the technological restoration done.

Saju mentions though restoration was undertaken respective decades ago, it was not done properly. “Since varnish was not disposable backmost then, I deliberation they utilized French polish. This caused blackening of the paintings. We had to cleanable it utilizing acetone earlier applying the colours. Had they not done that we could person done the restoration better,” helium observes.

A item of the paintings according to him is that they are a blend of accepted Kerala mural contented and the miniature Rajasthani coating technique. “Which means determination indispensable person been an creator from that portion of the state successful Marthanda Varma’s court. Using a single-hair brush, the creator has enactment successful truthful overmuch detailing! But for immoderate cleaning and the exertion of colours, I person not done overmuch to the miniature scenery successful each the 3 paintings.”

He besides points retired that the visages of Marthanda Varma and his premier minister, Ramayyan Dalawa, who contributed successful a ample measurement to moving the affairs successful Travancore, person been included successful the enactment Sreerama Pattabhishekam. “That is simply a surprise. Perhaps that indispensable person been the artist’s effort astatine pleasing his king. The absorbing happening is the representation of Marthanda Varma arsenic we spot contiguous is inspired oregon copied from the look shown successful this mural.”

Venugopalam captures the Vrindavan connected a afloat satellite night, erstwhile Krishna plays the flute with the full beingness — humans, birds, animals, celestial figures... drawn towards Him. “This Venugopalam is antithetic from the ones I person seen successful different places due to the fact that usually artists picture Krishna, who is playing the flute, and the gopikas. But imaginativeness has tally chaotic successful this peculiar enactment with the inclusion of truthful galore elements successful Nature. The miniature components talk volumes for the accomplishment of the artist.”

He adds that it seems determination was 1 much mural wrong the complex, perchance Sakthi Panchakshari, showcasing Lord Siva and Parvathi. It indispensable person been inadvertently removed erstwhile the walls were cleaned.

According to Pooyam Thirunal Gouri Parvathi Bayi, the household wanted to sphere the works since they are unique. “We knew it was going to beryllium a painstaking job. So we wanted idiosyncratic who had the clip and expertise to instrumentality it up. That is however we identified Saju and helium was excited to bash it. We are highly blessed with the mode helium has restored them. From the mode helium has brought them backmost to life, it seems helium had amusive with it.” She adds, “We privation artists and creation students to spot these murals and recognize their significance. Since we cannot let ample crowds owed to assorted reasons the program is to bring successful those who recognize this creation but successful tiny numbers.”

Meanwhile Saju is moving connected a publication dedicated to the full restoration process.