Renovation of five granaries at Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, popularly known as “Tirukottaram” of the temple, which was a major work taken up in 2013 by the State government, has been completed at an estimate of Rs. 51.36 lakh.
Built during the Nayak period six centuries ago, there are five granaries which were used for storing paddy, pulses, cashew nut, spices, and other food material to be used for supply during floods or other natural calamities. Vagaries of weather and neglect had ruined them. “The tall trees all around made it tough to access the granaries,” said P. Jayaraman, Joint Commissioner of the temple.
The State government constituted a special team of archaeological experts headed by K.T. Narasimhan, Consultant Archaeologist/Conservationist, HR and CE, Museum and Tourism Departments, to supervise the renovation. The team conducted a detailed study on the structure before taking up the renovation.
Renovation was carried out in a phased manner in the last three years. The height of each granary was about nine metres and its diameter, six metres. The five granaries had been constructed over a period of time.
“We have used building material which were used in the ancient period,” says the temple sources.
Gall-nut and lime were mixed in right proportion for restoring the grandeur of the structure. Building material was brought to the “Tirukottaram” where it was mixed together in proper proportion. Weed growth both outside and inside the structure of the granaries were cleared carefully. A vertical excavation at one of the granaries led to the unearthing of a stone structure and a wooden plank. The plank might have been made of “iluppai” or “semmaram” wood and used to bear the weight of agricultural produce offered by devotees. It is indicated by the similarity in shape and structure for a set of three granaries in the front and another set of two granaries in the rear.
“This is the first time that conservation effort had been taken up at this ‘Tirukottaram’ and it will be a gift to the devotees and pilgrims besides history-lovers,” the official told The Hindu on Wednesday.
