Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

Conservation of Temple Architecture of

Gopal Das

Odisha had richly dotted with thousand temples affected by continuous colourisation of micro- reflecting the evolution of Kalinga Architecture organisms. Fungi has greater role in the bio- from inception to maturity. The abundance of deterioration of monuments. Microbial activity temples has earned , “Temple City have impact on the durability of the building of India”. These monuments endowed with materials of cultural heritage. It needs attention gracefully embellished sculptures on the walls. for the restoration and conservation of our cultural Parsurameswar (7th C, A.D), Vaital (8th C, A.D), heritage. Mukteswar (10th C, A.D) and Lingaraj (11th C, A.D) soaring up to height of 180ft., are few of Keyword : Bio-deterioration, micro- organism, micro-climate, endoscoping the temples which stands as examples of the photography, laser scanning. architectural excellence of Odishan sculptures. Each temple competing with the other for the finer Introduction : intricacies, and dominate the skyline. Odisha has the rare distinction of But it is shocking to learn that most of the possessing an uninterrupted series of centuries-old archaeological sites and antiquities archaeological remains almost from the dawn of in Odisha in despicable state and has started the historical period down to the end of Hindu degrading rapidly. rule. Odishan architecture is a fascinating subject owing to its antiquity, variety of beautiful form, The degradation and discoloration of the majestic and sublime grandeur. The originality different archeological objects are due to the of planning, the dexterity of execution, the perfect production of pigments and organic acids by the symphony between sculpture and architecture, fungi. Stone objects support novel communities displayed in temples are favourably with the best of microorganisms that are active in bio- in India. deterioration process. The building of cultural heritage objects This investigation focuses of mycological of ancient Odisha fall mainly under the following analysis of some important temples of undivided heads, viz, the rock –cut caves, the stupas, the District. These monuments are regularly temples and forts. Odishan architecture can be

AUGUST - 2020 35 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review traced from the sculptured of an and 1817 and prepared a drawing of the fallen eleven Rock Edicts of emperor Ashok (Circa temple.2 The initial task of conservation was 272-3 B.C) at Dhauli and ancient fortified town started in 1901 to make the monument stable. at Sisupalgarh of 3rd century B.C. Temples received chemical treatment by way of removal moss and lichen, elimination of injurious The majestic Lingaraj temple of salts by the application of paper-pulp and Bhubaneswar, temple of Puri and Sun fungicidal treatment in 1938-39. temple, of golden triangle attract thousand of visitors from all corners of the world. The sun Varieties of stones used in building temple, a UNESCO declared World heritage site temples and making images in Odisha are igneous, since 1984, needs special attention and proper metamorphic and sedimentary. Igneous rocks like monitoring of conservation work. It was a super granite, sedimentary rocks like sand stone, human work and an archeological marvel. Though limestone are largely employed in architecture. many of the shrines and ancient monuments have Mainly four types of rocks like sand stone, long succumbed to the destructive force of nature, khondolite, Chloride (Muguni) and laterite are still standing in various sizes even now. found in old temples widely.3 There are some other types of rocks like leterite which are very porous Researchers of Roman University and and easily affected by moisture and percolation Utkal University have jointly taken a project of of water. Although stone objects normally strong restoration of five monuments each of the two and durable, are also subject to various form of countries from 2007 to 2010. These monuments detonation. include Sun temple of Konark, Khandagiri, Udayagiri cave and temples of Bhubaneswar, Climate and environment has profound Bora caves of Andhra Pradesh, Ajanta caves of influence on the physical and structural properties Maharastra, Tustani of Italy (Marble monument) of materials used for the construction. The and site of Sisili etc.1 Scientists and conservators microclimate is of greater concern than the climate. have proposed to apply nanotechnology & bio- Temples are affected by humidity and technology for restoration of these monuments. temperature, the two most important components of the climate. Water in liquid form and as a vapor, IIT, Bhubaneswar has been given the accelerates chemical process of deterioration. responsibility to examine the feasibility of the old strut (iron pipes) support food in places on the Sampling : Sun temple’s southern side over a decade ago when cracks on the cantilever dictated. Though The fungi were identified from the various the sanctum or the main temple of Konark has historical monuments of Sun temple of Konark ruined, still the porch or Jagamohan attracted and Jagannath temple of Puri district, Lingaraj and thousands visitors of the World. A Starling, who nearby temples of old town, Bhubaneswar, visited the temple in 1825 wrote that a small Gopinath temple of Kakudia, Jatni, Chandeswar section of the main temple “still remaining temple of Tangi, Daksha temple of standing”. James Fergusson went to the site in Banpur of Khordha district.

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Media : Conservation :

Potato dextrose agar (PDA) : media was The harmful effect by the colonizing of used for obtaining pure culture from the sample microorganism on monuments is known as bio- of different monuments. In this nutrient media deterioration. Generally larger parts of ancient potato and dextrose are the source of monuments are covered with micro organisms. carbohydrates. Agar is used as solidifying agent. Various types of micro organisms like fungi, some algae species, bacteria, cyan bacteria, yeast, Table 1 ( % Contribution of Flora) lichens and moss damage the monuments, on Name of Fungi % contribution which they grow.4 They need presence of liquid moisture for their growth and found on Alternaria sp. 12.56 monuments. The deposit of moss or algae causes Aspergillus flavus 9.15 patchy, green or black appearance and produce pits in the surface of the stone. Ultimately it A. fumigatus 8.05 becomes weak and powdery. Fungi has greater A. nidulans 2.34 role in the bio-deterioration of monuments.5

A. niger 9.30 The main causes of damage to stone A. Scalrotium 6.12 monuments is the presence of soluble salts in them. A. temari 0.23 Salts, by absorbing moisture, formed solution which remain inside the cavities between the Cladosporium oxysporum 13.02 particles forming the rock. Salt solution turn in to Curvularia lunata 8.10 salt crystals on evaporation, which often appear on the surface of stone in form of white Fusarium sp. 7.04 efflorescence. Continues dissolution and Mucur sp. 2.43 crystallization of salts , result in repetition of strain Mycelia sterilia (white) 4.51 on stone. Thus salt deposited on the object degrades and causes a serious threat to the Penicillium chrysogenum 2.18 sculpture.6 Coastal areas are endangered by salt Penicillium Sp. 1.24 in air.

Result and Discussion : The carving sculpture of Sun temple of 14 fungal flora were identified from all Konark has been eroded due to the action of salty 7 analysed samples(Table No.1). It is found that weather of ocean. Extensive chemical cleaning maximum percentage contribution is observed for and preservation of the temple has been taken in Cladosporium sp.(13.02) on the contrary, the year 1938 -1939 by Archeological Survey of minimum percentage contribution (0.23) is India. The A.S.I. is planning to start 3-D laser observed for a. temari. The results of present scanning and Endoscopic photography of the Sun investigation revealed with various work done by temple of Konark by the Central Building researchers. Research Institute at Roorkee, U.P. to ascertain

AUGUST - 2020 37 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review the condition of the monuments interior.8 The places. Bio-deterioration of monuments has A.S.I. move follows concern being expressed in attracted attention of scientists and conservators. various quarters over the future of the Sun temple which have developed cracks at some places. Only a few of the sites in India are Government adopted measures to ensure the 13th preserved well and others were neglected. Every century edifice does not suffer from water logging. nook and corner of Odisha has traditional heritage. These monuments are harmed by the regular Pollution is major cause for the decay of colourising of micro-organism. It needs special stone monuments. The atmosphere contains many attention and proper monitoring of conservation other contaminants and gases cause harmful to work of the ancient monuments by applying new sculpture. Industrial environment, certain gases method of laser scanning, endoscopic like sulpher dioxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrogen photography, Nanotechnology and Bio- sulphide produced by industrial unites , engines, technology. Geo-positioning radar penetration motor vehicles causes serious threat to survey is also essential for recovery of priceless monuments. antiquities buried under the soil of the site.

In these case only prolonged treatment Central Building, Research Institute at can cure the affected monuments. Plane water or Roorkee, Uttar Pradesh should conduct the 3-D mild detergent in a water solution is used to wash laser scanning to ascertain the condition of away dust dirt and stains. Five to ten percentage monuments interiors. Pieces of glass may fix at solution of ammonium hydroxide is used for different places to determine the behaviours of removing algae or moss deposit. Fungi – cidal cracks and condition of the foundation, if it treatment for some years may taken for the suppressed down. De-plastering of some old complete removal of moss and lichen. Salt laden temple should be carried out carefully and on time. stone can be clean treating with paper – pulp Massive plantation should take up around the sites method for elimination of injurious salts. Binder to check the environmental degradation. We type solution also applied for the consolidation of should perfectly well conserve the temple the weak and cracked layers. Now trained architecture, our rich heritage, which has come conservators and laboratory experts have taken down to us through the ages. the task of conservation by adopting most scientific methods. (Paper presented in 99th Session of Indian Conclusion : Science Congress held at KIIT University and awarded trophy for one of the 5th best paper in The A.S.I. looks after 78 ancient Section-III.) monuments in Odisha, including 26 in Bhubaneswar city alone. The ASI move follows References : concerns being expressed in various quarters over 1. (a) Mitra, Debala, Bhubaneswar. Pub –A.S.I, 5th Ed - the future of Konark, Puri and Bhubaneswar 1984, P.4 temples, which have developed cracks at some (b) The Dharitri, dt.22.05.2007

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2. Fergusson James, Picturesque Illustrations of Ancient Architecture in Hindustan (London,1843) pp. 27f. and pl.III. 3) Acharya Paramananda, Studies in History, Archaeology and Archives. 4) Gorbushina, A.A., Krumbein, W.E., Hamman, C.H., Panina, L., Soukharjevski U.S., and Wollenzien, 1993, Role of black fungi in color change and biodeterioration of antique marbles Geomicrobiology Journal, Vol-II, p. 205-221. 5) Burford, E.P., Femina M. and Gadd, G.M. 2003, Fungal involvement in bioweathering and biotransformation of rocks and minerals th Mineralogical Magazine; v.67, p.1127-1155. Plate No.III, Jagannath temple of Puri in 18 Century Photo collected from British Library, London

Plate No.1, Konark before conservation Illustration by James Fergusson in the year 1837

Plate No.IV : Conservation (De-plastering) of Jagannath temple in 1992 6) Agrawal, O.P, Preservation of Art objects and library materials, N.B.T, 2006. 7) Mitra, Debala, Konark Pub –A.S.I, 3rd Ed 1986, p.27. 8) The Times of India, dt.17.2.2011 Gopal Krishna Das, Former HOD, Odia, Plate No.II, Konark after conservation in 1950 P.N Autonomous College, Khordha-752055, E-mail: [email protected].

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