Delivered-To: maanojrakhit@gmail.com Received: by 10.187.223.7 with SMTP id a7cs1355far; Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:51:45 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.142.203.19 with SMTP id a19mr1848123wfg.179.1219729904027; Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:51:44 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.143.34.10 with HTTP; Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:51:43 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <2bffd5260808252251g74f1a40bj8696ec2186bf975f@mail.gmail.com> Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:51:43 -0700 From: "GP Srinivasan" To: "S. Kalyanaraman" , "KV Ramakrishnarao" , "balakrishnan hariharan" , "colonelrajan srinivas" , chary , "mallireddy sadanjan girish prasad" , "Maanoj Rakhit" , "Mohan Iyer" , "govindan menon" , "Hindu Voice" , "S V Badri" , "Vijayalakshmi G" , "Kusum Vyas" Subject: Initial survey on the loss and damage of Inscriptions in BIG Temple MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_3768_17783555.1219729903988" ------=_Part_3768_17783555.1219729903988 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline *Initial survey on the loss and damage of Inscriptions in BIG Temple* ** *August 2008.* * * *"If E. Hultzsch the Epigraphist come back, it will break his heart", said my guide to the temple. I said if Raja Raja Chola comes back, "he will orde= r those ASI officials with death sentence for having damaged his inscriptions". * * * *Some workers were busy trying to fix broken and shatterd pillars with araldite! I asked the head contractor what are you going to do with them ? He said we received orders to put them back and keep them in museum!* ** *Before E. Hultzsch the Epigraphist who identified the Inscriptions found in the Big Temple, in the last part of last century, the temple was referre= d to Kaduvetti Chozhan Temple by locals, who were afraid of going inside. * ** *As an epigraphist and expert in old world languages Hultzsch , he brough= t these out in three books. These inscriptions which he identified as Tamil and a mixture of Brahmi which he published later in modern Tamil with English translation. * ** *At that time the temple was used as a garrison for the British Army with nominal poojas performed in the main sanctum. Earlier the temple was not visited by people at all as jungle had covered the premises. When i visited the temple in 1971, it was full of Shrubs and in subsequent visits it was i= n a much better shape.* ** *Local People are shell shocked about the Vandalism in the name of Conservation. After our report was published in the web, it has sent some ripples. There were denial statement issued by the ASI Vide the Indian express, Chennai edition dated 25, August, 2008. We purchased local Indian express in Thanjavur edition did not have the news. * * * *I asked have they deciphered all the inscriptions? Some one knowledgeable said "It was kudavyil Balu who identified an inscription not deciphered E. Hultzschnot that mentions " the Temple gopuram was covered with gold gauze" . * ** *Where is all the gold gauze now I asked?* ** *He said " it was looted by Malik Kafur" and he pointed out to the two tiers over the Ardhamandapam that were demolished and remnants can be found . "This is not normally visible unless pointed out by guides". * ** *Inside the sanctum the Archaka said " the invaders did not even spare the 'peruvudayar' the largest Siva lingam in any Hindu Temple. Raja Raja wante= d every thing big in the temple. The invaders attempted to uproot it with crowbars but their efforts were in vain. One can see to this day the marks of crowbar on the back of deity".* * * *It is ridiculous that when E. Hultzsch, Epigraphist, to the Government of Madras from 1886 to 1903, published the monumental three volume book on the Brihadeeswara Temple inscriptions. **This was published by ASI under the British could have never have imagined that the very same ASI under Independent India would be instrumental in destroying those Inscriptions 10= 5 years down the line. * ** *We referred to the South Indian Inscriptions and identified the inscriptions on the broken pillars as given below.* ** *The damaged pillars and the inscriptions found on them are found publishe= d in the VOL 2 Parts 1 & 2. I am not going into details of the inscriptions i= n this report, as these are voluminous. These will be published seperately. Some pillars have inscriptions on one side. Some have on two sides; some have inscription on three sides and some on four sides.* * * *1) INSCRIPTION NO 47 - Pillar on three sides ( Page 191-192)* * * *2) INSCRIPTION NO 48 - Pillar B . Has inscriptions on two sides.(PAGE 195 -196)* * * *3) INSCRIPTION NO 51- PILLAR B. INSCRIPTIUONS ON FOUR SIDES . (PAGE 205 20= 7 )* * * *4) INSCRIPTION NO 51 - PILLAR C. INSCRIPTIONS ON FOUR SIDES. (207 =96 210)= .* * * *5) Mahahamandapam- adhistanam- kumadappadi on the outer wall- maximum damage.* * * *6) Maximum vandalism is found inside the hollow of Sree Vimanam. Plaster inside the has been removed =96 seepage is found . This is considerd to be maximum vandalism. This may result in the damage to the gopuram, paintings inside and the damage of the unique Kalasam .* * * *When we came out of the temple premises workers were trying to paste the broken pillars with araldite- obviously from instruction from higer ups in Chennai. "ASI's method of conservation after destruction" quipped our driver!.* * * * * *GP.Srinivasan* *26.8.2008* ** *Reference:* ** *SOUTH INDIAN INSCRIPTIONS, three Volumes* *Volume two has Parts 1 & 2, * *First published by ASI in 1892 Madras * *Reprinted by Navrang in 1983.* * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= ------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----------------------------------------------------------- * ------=_Part_3768_17783555.1219729903988 Content-Type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline
= Initial survey on the loss and damage of Inscriptions in BIG Temple
 
= August 2008.

&n= bsp;

= "If E. Hultzsch the Epigraphist come back, it will break his heart&quo= t;, said my guide to the temple. I said if Raja Raja Chola comes back, &quo= t;he will order those ASI officials with death sentence for having damaged&= nbsp;his inscriptions". 
=  
= Some workers were busy trying to fix broken and shatterd pillars = with araldite! I asked the head contractor what are you going to do with th= em ? He said we received orders to put them back and keep them in muse= um!
=  
= Before E. Hultzsch  the Epigraphist who identif= ied the Inscriptions found in the Big Temple, in the last part of last cent= ury, the temple was referred to Kaduvetti Chozhan Temple by locals, wh= o were afraid of going inside.
=  
= As an  epigraphist and expert in old world languages = ; Hultzsch , he brought these out in three book= s. These inscriptions which he identified as Tamil and a mixture of Brahmi = which he published later in modern Tamil with English translation.
=  
= At that time the temple was used as a garrison for the British Army wi= th nominal poojas performed in the main sanctum. Earlier the temple was not= visited by people at all as jungle had covered the premises. When i visite= d the temple in 1971, it was full of Shrubs and in subsequent visits it was= in a much better shape.

 

Local People are she= ll shocked about the Vandalism in the name of Conservation. After our repor= t was published in the web, it has sent some ripples. There were denial sta= tement issued by the ASI Vide the Indian express, Chennai edition dated 25,= August, 2008. We purchased local Indian express in Thanjavur edition did n= ot have the news.

&n= bsp;

= I asked have they deciphered all the inscriptions? Some one knowledgeable s= aid "It was kudavyil Balu who identified an inscription not deciphered= E. Hultzschnot  that mentions  " the  Temple= gopuram was covered with gold gauze" .
=  
= Where is all the gold gauze now I asked?
=  
= He said " it was looted by Malik Kafur" and he pointed out t= o the  two tiers over the Ardhamandapam that were demolished and = remnants can be found . "This is not normally visible unless poin= ted out by guides".
=  
= Inside the sanctum the Archaka said " the invaders did not e= ven  spare the 'peruvudayar' the largest Siva lingam = ;in any Hindu Temple.  Raja Raja wanted every thing big in the temple.= The invaders attempted to uproot it with crowbars but their efforts were i= n vain. One can see to this day the marks of crowbar on the back of deity&q= uot;.

&n= bsp;

= It is ridiculous that when E. Hultzsch, Epigraphist, to the Government of M= adras from 1886 to 1903, published the monumental three volume book on the = Brihadeeswara Temple inscriptions. This was published  by ASI under the British coul= d have never have imagined  that the very same ASI under = Independent India would be instrumental in destroying those Inscriptions 10= 5 years down the line.
=  
= We referred to the South Indian Inscriptions and identified the inscri= ptions on the broken pillars as given below.
=  
= The damaged pillars and the inscriptions found on them are found  publ= ished in the VOL 2 Parts 1 & 2. I am not going into details o= f the inscriptions in this report, as these are voluminous. These will= be published seperately. Some pillars have inscriptions on one side. Some = have on two sides; some have inscription on three sides and some on four si= des.

&n= bsp;

1)= INSCRIPTION NO 47 - Pillar on three sides ( Page 191-192)<= /p>

&n= bsp;

2)= INSCRIPTION NO 48 - Pillar B . Has inscriptions on two sides.(PAGE 19= 5 -196)

&n= bsp;

3)= INSCRIPTION NO 51- PILLAR B. INSCRIPTIUONS ON FOUR SIDES . (PAGE 205 207 )=

&n= bsp;

4)= INSCRIPTION NO 51 - PILLAR C. INSCRIPTIONS ON FOUR SIDES. (207 =96 210).

&n= bsp;

5)=  Mahahamandapam- adhistanam- kumadappadi on the outer wall- maximum da= mage.

&n= bsp;

= 6) Maximum vandalism is found inside the hollow of Sree Vimanam. Plast= er inside the has been removed =96 seepage is found . This i= s considerd to be maximum vandalism. This may result in the damage to the g= opuram, paintings inside and the damage of the unique Kalasam .
=  
= When we came out of the temple premises workers were trying to paste the br= oken pillars with araldite- obviously from instruction from higer ups in Ch= ennai. "ASI's method of conservation after destruction" quipp= ed our driver!.
=  
=  
= GP.Srinivasan
= 26.8.2008
=  
= Reference:
 
= SOUTH INDIAN INSCRIPTIONS, three Volumes

Vo= lume two has Parts 1 & 2,

Fi= rst published by ASI in 1892 Madras

Re= printed by Navrang in 1983.

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