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Articles: Arts and Culture | Chitrakutam craves for attention
- Mr. Prabhakar Banagani Venkata
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Here is an article published in ASIAN AGE, on CHITRAKOOTAM, TALPAGIRI RANGANATH TEMPLE, Nellore, which needs urgent attention :
It was meant to resemble the enchanting hamlet where Lord Rama and Sita spent their years of exile.
But Chitrakootam, a 170-year-old mandapam at Nellore, now looks more like an abandoned dwelling. The mandapam is now a desolate and broken down structure, the priceless Tanjore paintings on its are walls getting slowly destroyed.
Located near the ancient Sri Ranganadha Swamy Temple near the banks of Pennar river, Chitrakootam has been neglected by authorities. It was built in the 18th century by Yaragudipati Venkatachalam Panthulu, a staunch devotee of Lord Ranganadha, who was inspired by the description of the enchanting Chitrakootam in the Ramayana.
The paintings reflect the imaginative powers of the Tanjore artists and portray well known episodes from Hindu mythology, including Sri Krishna Leelamrutham, Dasavatarams, Ksheerasagara madhanam, Sri Rama Pattabhishekam and the war between Rama and Ravana.
'These paintings were made using extracts of specific leaves which causes them to glitter when light falls on them,' says B. Maruthi Lakshmi Narasimha Rao, secretary of the Sri Rama Baktha mandali that is now trying to take care of Chitrakootam.
However, there is no longer any glitter left. The works of art have turned blackish and are peeling off from the walls. To protect the paintings from getting blackened, the committee cleaned the walls with acid, but this did not help.
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