Conservation Work at Kedarnath by Archaeological Survey of India

New Delhi,Conservation of Sri Kedarnath Temple, entrusted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is in full swing. The task of conserving the temple was entrusted to ASI last year after the colossal tragedy struck at Kedarnath. 
Despite a slight delay in starting the working this season due to inclement working conditions, conservation of the temple complex is now progressing at a fast pace. Major works to be accomplished this year include packing the stones (matching the original profile and design) wherever missing, providing wooden flooring within Mandapa inside the temple, cleaning of interior and exterior of the temple and preserving its stone surfaces and repairs to the temple steps and stone plinth, including resetting wherever necessary and repairs to the roof over Mandapa of the temple. Depending upon weather conditions and time available, this work is expected to be accomplished by 20 October.
Inspite of bad weather, the ASI team has so far managed to remove nearly 10,417 cu.ft (approx..295 Cu.M) debris from western side (up to a height of 7 feet). Removal of debris is ongoing from the northern side, i.e., rear of the temple. More than 40 original architectural members of the temple, some of them carved, have been retrieved from different parts of the Kedarnath settlement. These original members will be reused during the restoration of the temple complex. Nearly 25 stone dressers have been especially brought from Rajasthan who are cutting and carving locally available gneiss stone (material used in the construction of the temple) to size. A systematic scanning of roof joints will be conducted to plug all holes and loose joints to ensure that there is no leakage inside the temple. Walls, columns and ceiling inside Garbhagriha of the temple have almost been cleaned by the Science Branch. Scientific cleaning has revealed 16 nos. donatory inscriptions that have been inscribed on walls and columns inside the temple. 

Conservation of Sri Kedarnath Temple is being implemented through the ASI, Dehradun Circle and Science Branch of ASI whose teams are going there in batches because of difficult working conditions. Whole project of conservation of Kedarnath Temple has been conceived in close cooperation of Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BTKC) and district administration and in collaboration with IIT, Chennai (entrusted with the task of structural assessment of the temple and its foundation). 

Post a Comment

और नया पुराने