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| HR & CE and its poor temple administration. .quora.com/ |
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| Sri Ramar temple, Ayodhyapattinam, Salem, TN in.worldorgs.com |
As for Sri Kothanda Ramar temple at Ayodhyapattinam, it is poorly being maintained by the HR & CE of the TN government. Since 1970s whenever the DMK has been in power, its administration will plummet to the lowest level far worse than the AIADMK. A Unesco report ( TOI dated August 12, 2017) said. HR & CE (Hindu religious and charitable endowments) in charge of the administration of Hindu temples and their maintenance across the state had done little to preserve the state’s history. More than 34000 temples plus agricultural lands, plots and buildings in the urban areas are under the control of HR & CE.
On directions of the Madras High Court Unesco undertook a fact-finding mission covering 20 historical temples. A six member team visited 20 temples in the state over a three-month period, focusing on conservation methods that the HR&CE department employed at ancient temple
It discovered, among other things, the antique idols and sculptures at many old temples were vulnerable to theft, Apart, there were numerous unauthorised structures on temple premises in gross violations of rules, leading to encroachment and destruction of ancient artefacts.
Most of the conservation works were substandard and mediocre quite shocking is th demolition of some historic halls in some temples to be replaced by a modern structure. The Unesco team was in a state of shock as to find ''systematic devastation of temples and their heritage''. Yet another horrible thing they found was a VIP guest house with a toilet in the prakaram (pradakshina path) of the famed Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. In some temples, there are AC office rooms for the senior HR & CE officials - sheer "violation of the agamas [tradition]”. The public complaint was many of the officials in charge of the temples owe their allegiance to the ruling party.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/60027074.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
In 2012 in a sort of name-sake conservation work HR & CE did everything against the agama shastras.
01. In the name of cleaning the beautiful sculptures in the mandapas of Kothanda Ramar temple, the workers followed the banned sandblasting method to beautiful images. Many images show damages and a few ones like the image of demoness Surpanakha were missing.
Ayothiyapattinam ramar temple. tamilhindu.com
02. Many stone inscriptions in the temple were defaced due to sandblasting and in them we have lost the history of the temple.
Ayodhyapattinam Sri Ramar temple, Salem, TN tamilhindu.com
Ayodhyapattinam Sri Ramar temple, Salem, TN tamilhindu.com
Above images: Ayodhyapattinam Sri Kothanda Ramar temple, Salem, TN. Damaged mural painting in the ceiling, redone with modern color paint Photo credit: tamilhindu.com...........
03, A few hundred years old mural paintings done with natural dyes were redone using modern color paints without following right conservation technique. Because of seepage during rains, the paintings are in bad shape due to smudging.
04. In the 600 year mandapa, cement sculptures were built to replace old stone images, thus making the hall structurally weak.
05. Spending lakhs of rupees, old non-slippery flooring was replaced with ceramic tiles. As it is slippery, elderly people were unable to walk on the floor.
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| Ayodhyapattinam Sri Ramar temple, Salem,TN tamilhindu.com |
06. Worst damage against agama sastras was committed by HR & CE wantonly by way of removal of Bali Peedam that had survived for several decades. It is punishable under the ASI acts.
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| Ayodhyapattinam Sri Ramar temple tower in Garuda shrine tamilhindu.com/ |
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| Sri Kothanda ramar temple small tower over Garuda shrine. tamilhindu.com/ |
07. Yet another violation against Agama is the construction of a small gopura (tower) atop the shrine of Garuda Azhwar, the vahana of Sri Vishnu.
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| Sri Kothanda ramar temple small tower over Garuda shrine. tamilhindu.com/ |
08. Because of poor upkeep vegetation grows on the roof of a section of the temple, Note the damaged sunshade made of hardstone in the picture.
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| Wooden Ther, Sri ramar temple Salem, TN tamilhindu.com |
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| old Rath at Ramar temple in Ayodhyapattinam. /twitter.com/Mahesh10816 |
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/60027074.cms
https://www.navrangindia.in/2022/05/sri-ramar-temple-adyodhyapatnam-salem.html
https://tamilhindu.com/2012/05/salem-ramar-temple-hr-n-ce-dept-atrocities
https://www.tripoto.com/tamil-nadu/trips/the-salem-spectacles-130522
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