Murals at Ettumanur temple step out of shadows of time

Layer by layer and colour by colour, the ancient murals of Ettumanur Mahadeva Temple have finally stepped out of the shadows of time, brought back to life by a year-long conservation effort.

The conservation works were undertaken in accordance with an agreement between the president of the Travancore Devaswom Board and the executive director of the Vasthuvidya Gurukulam, Aranmula. The project was carried out by mural artists under the leadership of Kadammanitta Sreekuttan, assisted by Mannadi Abhilash Kumar and Aranmula Jayakrishnan. The works were executed under the supervision of Velayudhan Nair, former Director of the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property.

The murals, adorning the inner and outer walls of the temple tower on the southern and northern sides of the gateway, are believed to date back to 16th century and had once drawn international attention through the writings of European art critic Stella Kramrisch. Over the years, however, neglect had dulled their colours and left them vulnerable to vandalism and damage during repair works at the temple.

“In the initial phase, conservation efforts focussed on the Ananthasayanam mural on the inner wall beside the entrance, which covers an area of 142 sq ft. Other murals restored include Vetta Sastha Aghoramurthy, Vasthraparanam, Venugopalam, the twin Dwarapalakas and Veeralippattu. Together, they span 425 sq ft, with the conservation completed in six phases,’’ explained an official.

The process began with detailed graphical documentation by the Vasthuvidya Gurukulam, with every section of the murals recorded through photographs and videos. In the second phase, cobwebs and layers of dust on the murals and their surroundings were removed. The third phase involved chemical treatment to eliminate biological residues, soot, grease, and oil stains, in adherence to the guidelines of the Archaeological Survey of India. During the fourth phase, extraneous materials were removed without causing any harm to the paintings.

In the fifth phase, weakened lime plaster around the murals was carefully removed and reinforced using freshly prepared lime mortar. The sixth phase involved further chemical cleaning and enhancement, followed by a final phase in which natural pigments were applied only where absolutely necessary.

A formal dedication of the restored murals was held on Tuesday, with Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan officiating the function. District Collector Chetan Kumar Meena and others were present.