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Abinaya R - Introduction & Research Question

This research paper examines the impact of Authorized Heritage Discourse (AHD) on the management of temple landscapes in India, focusing on the Sanjeevirayar Temple in Tamil Nadu. It highlights how the income-based classification system by the HR&CE Department leads to neglect of 'Unlisted' temples, resulting in inappropriate repairs and loss of cultural integrity. The study emphasizes the need for better conservation practices to preserve traditional rituals and the structural integrity of these vital heritage sites.

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7 views2 pages

Abinaya R - Introduction & Research Question

This research paper examines the impact of Authorized Heritage Discourse (AHD) on the management of temple landscapes in India, focusing on the Sanjeevirayar Temple in Tamil Nadu. It highlights how the income-based classification system by the HR&CE Department leads to neglect of 'Unlisted' temples, resulting in inappropriate repairs and loss of cultural integrity. The study emphasizes the need for better conservation practices to preserve traditional rituals and the structural integrity of these vital heritage sites.

Uploaded by

abinaya1072ac24
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

RESEARCH PAPER II

Integrated conservation plan for the Sanjeevirayar Kovil


Valaham(Precinct)

This research investigates the impact of Authorized Heritage Discourse


(AHD) on the management of peripheral temple landscapes in India. AHD is
a globally recognized phenomenon where state-led institutions define
"heritage" through a narrow lens of monumental and aesthetic significance,
often prioritizing sites that align with national identity or economic gain. In
the Indian context, specifically within the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and
Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, this discourse is
institutionalized through an income-based classification system. Temples are
categorized as "Listed" or "Unlisted" based on annual revenue, a
bureaucratic framework that effectively dictates the level of conservation
expertise and professional oversight a site receives.

Using the 16th-century Sanjeevirayar Temple in Ayyangarkulam as a


primary case study, this paper explores the vulnerability of high-value
satellite shrines that fall into the "Unlisted" category. Despite its historical
role as a regional anchor and its link to the urban node of Kanchipuram
through the Nadavavi Utsavam, the site suffers from systemic neglect.
Secondary research and primary site documentation reveal that the absence
of state-authorized experts leads to inappropriate, donor-led interventions.
These ad-hoc repairs result in the loss of material integrity and the structural
decay of vital spaces like the Mandapams, which has ultimately led to the
cessation of traditional rituals.

References

ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION – SEMESTER IV


RESEARCH PAPER II
1
Champakalakshmi, R. (1996). Trade, ideology and urbanization: South India 300 BC to AD

1300. Oxford University Press.

Nambiar, P. K. (1963). Census of India 1961: Volume IX Madras: Part VI Village survey

monographs: 1. Ayyangarkulam. Superintendent of Census Operations, Madras.

ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION – SEMESTER IV


RESEARCH PAPER II
2

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