Srisailam temple restoration works sticking to original architectural style

Restoration works astatine the revered Jyotirlinga shrine of Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy successful Srisailam, undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), are progressing swiftly. The works purpose to code structural leakages utilizing accepted techniques, alongside the replacement of damaged beams and columns. Spanning astir 40,000 quadrate feet, the restoration encompasses some the main temple and its sub-temples. The project, estimated to outgo ₹7 crore, is being undertaken with the enactment of Pune-based M/s Lord Venkateswara Charitable and Religious Trust.

The restoration works are being taken up successful a mode that determination are nary deviations from the prevailing architectural benignant of the temple, said Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple Executive Officer M. Srinivasa Rao. “Material utilized successful operation of age-old temples is being utilized to code the leakages and the stones that are damaged volition beryllium replaced by the aforesaid style,” helium said.

Talking astir the causes, the EO said, “There utilized to beryllium astir 9 earthy springs successful the temple premises of which 5 are disposable adjacent today. The drying and diminution of these springs had caused ungraded erosion and harm to immoderate pillars. These damaged pillars volition besides beryllium replaced arsenic portion of the ongoing works.”

K. Munirathnam Reddy, Director (Epigraphy), ASI Mysuru, said that the past of Srisailam temple dates backmost to the Third Century C.E. (Common Era) arsenic per the inscriptions of Ishvakus of Nagarjuna Konda. “Even successful our caller findings of inscriptions dating backmost to the Third and Fourth period successful Lankamalla forests, determination was a notation astir the Srisailam temple,” helium said. The temple operation style, however, is of the sixth oregon seventh century, helium added.

Temple officials and the ASI squad progressive successful the restoration enactment admitted that the leakages were not sealed decently adjacent though cement was utilized for the purpose. “The engineering section officials took repairs utilizing cement but the occupation persisted. In fact, it was an overload connected the structure,” the officials clarified.

Mr. Munirathnam Reddy said that the squad started peeling disconnected the cement that was utilized to halt the leakages successful the structures and added that ample tanks were built successful the temple premises to premix earthy ingredients utilized for the restoration works.

Concrete for the restoration works is being prepared with earthy ingredients utilizing the methods followed by past dynasties similar Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Badami Chalukyas, Vengi Chalukyas, Kalyani Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Yadavas and Vijayanagara, Mr. Reddy said, adding, “It is prepared by soaking and mixing Karakkaya (Indian Hog Plum), jaggery, ladies digit extract, lime, jute, urad daal (Vigna mungo) and earthy Arabic histrion gum.”

He said that dissimilar the temples they had restored earlier, they recovered immoderate beams and columns were besides damaged owed which the works mightiness beryllium delayed. “The damaged beams and columns were made of achromatic stone, which is being sourced from Kumbakonam and Bengaluru. Carvings akin to that of the existing operation are being made connected these stones,” helium said.

He said that the works are apt to beryllium completed successful the adjacent six months and these works volition guarantee that the temple operation remains unchangeable and beardown for the adjacent 200 years without immoderate request for further involution oregon repairs.

According to officials, an adept squad comprising representatives from IIT-Tirupati, Archaeology Department, and an engineering squad from Pune inspected the works earlier successful May.

Founder of “Mana Ooru Mana Gudi Mana Bhadyatha” (Our village, our temple, our responsibility) M.V. Sivakumar Reddy lauded the ASI for taking up the restoration works successful a systematic and technological manner.

It whitethorn beryllium mentioned present that the Archaeological Survey of India had earlier completed the restoration works of the Sri Kalahasteeswara Swamy temple successful Srikalahasti, followed by the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple atop Simhachalam Hill successful Visakhapatnam. The extortion restoration of the Srikalahasti temple covered 60,000 quadrate feet and was completed successful 14 months astatine a outgo of ₹5 crore, portion the restoration astatine Simhachalam spanned astir 40,000 quadrate feet, with an estimated outgo of ₹4 crore.