Author: T.S. Subramanian
Publication: The Hindu
Date: July 12, 2009
URL: http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/12/stories/2009071257351600.htm
Introduction: 150 to 250-year-old works whitewashed;
loss to Tamil Nadu's painting tradition
An array of striking paintings has been whitewashed
out of existence at the Rajagopalaswamy Kulasekara Alwar temple at Mannarkovil
in Tirunelveli district. These were images of the coronation of Rama, the
Dasavataram, Narasimha, Garuda, a wrestler fighting an elephant and so on.
Estimates put their antiquity at 150 to 250 years.
More recently, murals of the late Nayak period
were whitewashed at Muthalamman temple at Kodangipatti, near Karur.
Over the past several years, similar mural
masterpieces have been whitewashed at the Meenakshi temple in Madurai, the
Arunachaleswarar temple at Tiruvannamalai, the Vishnu temple at Tiruvellarai
near Tiruchi, and Siva temples at Patteeswaram near Kumbakonam, Tiruppulivanam
in Kancheepuram district and Vedaranyam, all administered by the Hindu Religious
and Charitable Endowments Department of the Tamil Nadu government.
Similar vandalism has been witnessed at other
temples in the State, including the Varadarajaswamy temple in Kancheepuram,
the Lakshmi Narasimhar temple at Sevilimedu, and the Sanjeeva Rayar temple
at Iyengarkulam, both near Kancheepuram.
The latest round of effacement that has been
revealed took place about six months ago in the name of renovation, and it
is still under way. Sculptures on pillars and inscriptions have also been
"cleaned" by sand-blasting: it involves training sand on them at
high pressure. This is in violation of a Government Order that bans sand-blasting
in temples as it damages sculptures and inscriptions. A sign-board at the
temple says Rs. 8,16,000 will be needed for "sand-blasting (chemical
wash)" for the renovation.
The Mannarkovil temple was built by Chera king Rajasimha in the 11th century
A.D. for the Chola emperor Rajendra. It has an independent sub-shrine, belonging
to the 13th century, devoted to the Vaishnavite saint Kulasekara Alwar, who
spent his last days in Mannarkovil. It has inscriptions of the Chola and the
later Pandya kings. It has three sanctum sanctorums.
The murals that have been whitewashed existed
on the side walls of the mantapa (hall) in front of the sanctum on the first
floor. While the paintings on the sanctum walls remain, those that were whitewashed
include the scene of Rama's coronation (pattabhishekam) and the Dasavataram
on one side. On the opposite side, a masterpiece of Narasimha too has disappeared
under coats of lime. Murals on the wooden beams supporting the roof have received
coats of paint. Murals on the second floor mantapa, which underwent a gaudy
restoration some decades ago, have been whitewashed.
K.T. Gandhirajan, a specialist in art history,
said murals in the temples at Mannarkovil and the nearby Tirupudaimarudur,
Edaikal and Kalakkadu, exhibited the rare characteristics of "the confluence
of Tamil Nadu and Kerala schools of painting." What was special about
the Mannarkovil temple was that it had paintings on both walls and wood.
"The idea was that the halls should be
replete with paintings. The artists must have used two types of pigments -
one for the wall and another for the timber - because the colour schemes are
different, " he said.
P. Krishnan, during whose tenure as temple
Executive Officer the murals were whitewashed, said he never gave permission
for such work.
