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RR
27th March 2007, 02:19 PM
Murals

- Padmanabha


In olden days the whole life of the community revolved around the temple. It was the confluence of sculptural musical artistic and literal talents. The architecture itself creates awe among the art enthusiasts. Carvings on granite and wood on the ceilings pillars and columns on the doors and frames are masterpieces. The temple walls are finely decorated with mural paintings. Like carvings they cannot withstand changes in the weather conditions. Hence those precious delicate works are fading and are badly in need of restoration.

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They definitely offer visual feast to the beholder. But in most of the temples they are left uncared by the authorities and the public and these precious works are victims of man’s ignorance on its aesthetic and historic values. Devotees smear sandal paste and even lit camphor de respecting the art and the artist. The State archeological department launched a project a restore these time honored works of unknown artists.

The following details were gathered during my attempt to know more about murals.

What are murals?

Murals are polychrome paintings executed on specially prepared walls.

How old is the tradition of mural paintings?

The earliest murals are found in Jogimara caves and in Ajantha. They are estimated to be created between 2nd century BC and 2nd century AD. But earlier works are found on bare rocks. In the Gupta period (4-6th century AD), mural tradition was alive. It developed with the patronage of great rulers.

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In south India, the earliest mural works were found in the Kailasanatha temple at KANCHIPURAM (7th century) followed by the works in the Sittanavassal jain cave temple. Thirunandikkarai cave temple resemble that of Sittanavassal.

Murals found in Palaces like Padmanabhapuram, Krishnapuram, Mattancherry, and in the temples like Thiruvanchikulam, Adikesava Perumal, Padmanabhaswami, etc are dated to, 16th 17th and 18th centuries.

Murals can be classified into
1. Early works on mud or clay plaster. Examples are Ajantha, Badani, Jogimara etc.
2. Works on lime plaster. Examples are Sittanavassal, Kanchipuram, Kerala murals
3. Works using resins with strong western influence. Examples are Agra, Fatepur Sikri.

Compositions of murals

Carrier, ground, pigments and the binding medium are the four different compositions of any mural.

Carrier:- It is the surface. It can be a rock (AJANTHA), brick (Neyyatinkara near Thiruvananthapuram) sand stone (bagh).
Ground: - It varies from region to region. Hence, techniques of the work from place to place.
Pigments:- Natural colors are generally used. Red ochre, yellow ochre, terra verte for green, lime or kaolin for white and lamp black. Combinations of basic colors were used to produce new colors.
Binding medium: - It depends on the technique and they are generally vegetable glue like the neem resin.

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Technique

Tempera technique: - Adhesives were used to fix pigments to the dry surface.
Fresco: - Here adhesives were not used. The pigments are applied to the plaster of Paris surface when the lime plaster is dry.
Fresco secco:- Here the pigments are mixed with lime water and applied on the dry surface with out any adhesives.

Conservation

It involves documentation, recording physical conditions of the work, first aid to secure the loose plaster pigment from flaking, curative methods like de-fungal treatment, restoration of the missing portions, following the ethics and finally applying protective coatings.

After Rajasthan Kerala has the maximum number of murals. Thirunandikkara murals of Venad form the oldest collection in Kerala vestiges of which are hard to find these days.

Mammiyyor Krishanan Nair a great mural artist studied the murals and he trained a team of students. The team visited many places including the temple of Sree Padmanabha and restore the ancient master pieces. He established the Academy of Mural works at Guruvayoor. The Academy offer five year course in mural paintings. Mammiyyor Krishnan Nair is no more.

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In some places untrained artists have spoiled the valuable works. Several murals in Churches are repainted after destroying the older ones. It was a dangerous act, in fact more dangerous than neglect.

We claim to possess such valuable works. But are we seriously doing anything to preserve it to posterity? Government schemes doest not reach every where. Awareness in the minds of the public has to be created first. There are several agencies like INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) which have to come forward to preserve these colorful mind-boggling works.

So, next time when you behold a mural, express your reverence to it.
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