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Monumental task
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Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore gets a facelift
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The temple tank filled with water — Pic. by K. V. Srinivasan
IT TOPS every tourist's itinerary, it is most Mylaporeans' unwind centre, a bustling cultural hub and quite naturally, the favourite destination of the devout. And on August 30, thousands will gather here and many more will watch live on television the Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple Mahakumbhabishekam. An auspicious, expensive and elaborate ritual, kumbhabishekams are not merely a religious exercise but significant for the upkeep of such ancient temples.
"Creating awareness about protecting historic edifices has been a monumental task for conservationists; but a spiritual approach sometimes makes it easier in our country," says M. Santhanam, a senior Mylaporean and a regular at the temple for many years. "Maybe we can camouflage the conservation message with such ceremonies. There are many like me for whom the temple forms the fabric of life but what we need is a people's movement to preserve the pristine beauty of this heritage site," he adds.
"This traditional ritual does help in restoration and renovation of old structures," says architect Sujatha Shankar, who is passionate about conservation and associated with INTACH (Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage). "There comes a time in the life of ancient temples when they need a facelift. This is a crucial phase as the process involved is complicated and should be in consonance with the traditional spirit and the original beauty of the structure."
Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore gets a fresh coat of paint.
The uniqueness of the more than 2000-year-old Kapaleeswarar Temple lies in the fact that it combines aesthetics and realism. Arguably there are many such temples in the country, but this one stands tall in the modern urban milieu.
The swanky colonies or self-contained townships of today can actually look up to this age-old edifice, which was created centuries ago to showcase a complete lifestyle. The huge temple tank surrounded by shops, choultries, libraries, houses, cultural organisations and eateries on all the four sides (mada vidhis) is a marvel in itself.
As Sujatha points out, the Kapaleeswarar Temple is a landmark that lends a character, an identity to Chennai. Hence, renovations or repairs undertaken in this temple will have a far-reaching (read future) impact.
Generally kumbhabishekams are performed once in 12 years because the ashtabandhanam - a combination of eight herbs used as an adhesive to make the idol stand firm on the stone pedestal — is replaced within that time, says a member of the Kapaleeswarar Temple Renovation Committee. "Also every nook and corner of the temple (measuring approximately 33 grounds), including the tank (it has even been filled up with water for the occasion) is cleaned up and gets a fresh coat of paint."
"We need to ensure that the material used for the restoration purpose should enhance the original charm of the place," says Sujatha. "For instance, I feel one should avoid using excessive paint and electrical lights to retain the old world look."
However, Bala of the 25-year-old Giri Trading Agency located right outside the temple main gate, says the colourful painting of the gopurams [that generated controversy recently] only adds to the traditional splendour of the structure.
According to a member of the restoration committee, the renovation requires a scientific approach. The marble previously laid outside the sanctum sanctorum has now been removed and replaced with stone. Only stone is used in our temples as it is heat resistant and gives a good sound effect (the reason for the echoing mantras). But the changing times have necessitated the inclusion of new-age elements. So an air conditioning system has been installed in both the Karpagambal and Kapaleeswarar sannidhis. At the same time to ensure that the heat from the ACs do not flow towards the sanctum sanctorum, air curtains have been provided.
CHITRA SWAMINATHAN
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