Sittannavasal – A proposal for preserving its paintings

PROJECT SITTANNAVASAL

By

S. Swaminathan([email protected])

WithMurugapandian & MV Kiran

mailto:[email protected]

PUDUKKOTTAIoccupies a significant place as a cultural centre

With its wealth of temple archaeology,

sculpture and painting,

it is of interest for the historian, the archaeologist and the connoisseur in the

field of art.

Pudukkottai is famous for its cave temples and those in Sittannavasal, Kudumiyamalai, Tirugokarnam and Tirumayam are cultural monuments

Pudukkottai region has a great Jaina tradition

It was one of the most important Jaina centres in Tamilnadu, in the past

There are a number of Jaina vestigesfound scattered

throughout the district

The district can boast of having the highest number of centrally protected Jaina relics/monuments in Tamilnadu

World-famous for its mural paintings in a Jaina cave temple

Next to Ajanta paintings, these paintings hold an important place

in the art history of India

These are some of the earliest frescoes in South India

and only examples of early Jaina frescoes

SITTANNAVASAL

Originally, the entire cave temple was plastered and painted, except the floor

But today, we can see only patches, here and there

thanks to the ravages wrought by time and nature and vandalism

Even these are barely visible now

The most painful fact is that most damage was man-made and in the last 50 years or so.

Here is a photograph of the painting taken in black and white in 1940s.

Now, only traces remainThen

Man made markings have obliterated many of the precious inscriptions and marred the rest

The complex can boast of Tamil Inscriptions from 3rd century BC to 13th century AD

If this rate of decay continues,

these priceless treasures,

which withstood for about 1200 years,

will be completely lost for ever

in the next few decades.

We, the inheritors of a great heritage, need to protect ours from further deterioration

We also need to create awareness among people


is conceived towards this.

The project aims atbuilding a full-scale replica ofthe cave temple with its painting recreated to its original state

to offer an opportunity to appreciate our lost glory and

to preserve the monument, particularly the paintings, from further damage

by keeping the original cave under controlled conditions

PROJECT SITTANNAVASAL: Objectives

And, building thematic pavilions around the recreated Arivar Koil

that highlights those features of Indian heritage for which the Sittannavasal monuments are famous for

to improve awareness of our heritageamong the public


Also,setup in the complex

a Centre for Jainology

for undertaking research, documentation and publication


And,incorporating features for attracting

touristscultural troupes and corporate houses


Recreated Arivar Koil

PROJECT SITTANNAVASAL: An Artist’s View


In-door pavilion


The recreated temple and the pavilions


The complex with the recreated temple

Recreated Arivar Koil


The complex with Our-door pavilions


The complex with the recreated templein-door and out-door pavilions



Chithram – In-door pavilion



Gnanam – In-door pavilion



Souvenir Sales

Recreated ARIVAR-KOILRecreated Arivar Koil, with its paintings done as much as possible true to the original

PROJECT SITTANNAVASAL: The Heritage Complex

Mandiram: Temple Architecture Pavilionfor Arival Koil is a link in this

Chithram: Indian Paintings Pavilionfor the cave temple houses one among the precious paintings of the country

Aksharam: Indian Scripts Pavilionfor the complex contains inscriptions from the 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD, a unique feature

Gnanam: Jain contribution to Tamil Culturefor this aspect is scarcely appreciatedand Sittannavasal is an appropriate focus

Thematic Pavilions



MANDIRAM Temple Architecture Pavilion

Tracing the development from cave temples

through monolithsto structural temples

Exhibits in bold relief, in stucco on granite blocks

positioned in open airalong a winding path

Cave Temples

Structural temples

Monoliths

Lomas-rishi Ajanta Tirugokarnam

Mamallapuram Kodumbalur Thanjavur

Mamallapuram Ellora

Temple Architecture Pavilion; Bold Relief and Model

CHITHRAMIndian Paintings Pavilion

Exhibits forming a rich pageantry of paintingsfrom rock-art till date

Representative specimenslaminated, framed, mounted and put up in-doors


Indian Paintings Pavilion

Pre-historic rock-art

Ajanta2c.BC-6c.AD

Kanchipuram(Pallava/ 7c-9c. AD) Sittannavasal

(Pandya/ 7c-9c. AD)

Moghul15-19c. AD

Nayak17-18c.AD

Bengal School20c. AD

Lepakshi14-17c. AD

Thanjavur(Chozha/

9-13c. AD)

Jain miniature paintings on palm leaves (11-15c. AD)

AKSHARAMIndian Scripts Pavilion

Tracing the history of Indian scriptsfrom Indus Valley through Brahmi,

to scripts for modern Indian languagesand many Asian languages

Samples written in stucco on granite block with suitable legends

organised as an open-air pavilion


Indian Scripts Pavilion

Indus Script BrahmiAsoka

BrahmiSamudragupta

NagariPallava

Southern Brahmi/

Battiprolu

BrahmiSittannavasal

VattezhuththuAnaimalai

GranthaMamallapuram

TamilTirugokarnam

BrahmiBhattiprolu

GNANAMJain contribution to Tamil Culture

Focussing on the theme through suitable means

arranged in-doors


Incorporation of

A CENTRE FOR JAINOLOGYfor research, documentation and information

equipped withlibrary, DTP, reprographylecture/talk/meditation hallsofficeboarding-lodging


Development of such a heritage complex

along with tourists attractions like heritage gardencamping and picnic areasretreats for corporate houses

and cultural troupes arranging heritage tours

souvenir sales

is expected to make the project commercially viable


The Project Sittannavasal is to be executed jointly by

Research Foundation for Jainology, Chennai,an organisation of the Jaina community,which is assisting research on Jainology andspreading the message of the Faith

andSudharsanam,

a Pudukkottai-based centre for arts and culturethat is documenting the legacy of Pudukkottai andoffering opportunities to the youth

in appreciating Indian culture.


Thank You

SudharsanamA centre for Arts and culture2 Palace NagarPudukkottai 622005Tamilnadu, India.Tel:+91-4322-230666

A presentation by…

www.pudukkottai.orgwww.sudharsanam.org

[email protected]

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Sittannavasal – A proposal for preserving its paintings