Panel suggests repair of damaged Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple idol

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The High Court-appointed expert committee has reported damage due to wear and tear for the moolavigraham, the main idol at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The idol is made of a concrete-like mixture called kadusharka-rayogam. The damage includes those to the right chin of the idol, foot finger and reinforcement between the idol and the anantha. There are wear and tear to the lotus that grows from the idols navel and Lord Brahmas idol on top of the flower. The alankarangal or decorations on the idol including the tholvala, kaivala, poonool, and earrings too suffered damage. The use of nails to adorn golden and silver robes on the idol also caused damage. The expert co mmittee members were temple thantri Tharananellor Satheesan Namboodiripad, Kanippayyoor Krishnan Namboodiri, Pazhangaparambu Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, and Cheruvalli Easwaran Namboodiri. Climatic changes are a major reason for the wear and tear to the idol, according to Satheesan. A moderate climate is required for the idol to remain in good condition. Over the years, the temperature has risen. The tremendous increase in the number of devotees has made the sanctum warmer in recent years, he told TNIE. Idols made of kadusarkarayogam should not be exposed to water. Hence, the customary abhishekam is performed on a representative idol. The speedy decaying of tulsi leaves makes the idol wet which thereby affects the texture. Years ago, the flowers would remain dry until the next morning. But these days they start decomposing soon, maybe due to the climatic changes, he said. Kadusharkara is an indigenous concrete-like mixture prepared out of about 48 materials ranging from small conch shells to herbs and sand. Idols in kadusharkarayogam are noted for their stunning finish when compared to those in metal or stone, the thantri said. Only about fifteen temples in Kerala have such idols. The repair works, to be done by master craftsmen, would be expensive and time-consuming. It will be a challenging task to source materials for the preparation of the mixture. For example, the soil requires certain qualities, and they have to be sourced from distant places. The processing involves different phases, including grinding and baking the soil in herbal concoctions, he said.