Devotees protest renovation of ancient temple @ granite slabs

Historians, archaeologists and devotees are up in arms against the renovation of Thyagarajaswamy temple, popularly known as Sri Vadivudai Amman temple, in Tiruvottiyur.Temple authorities have removed granite slabs with inscriptions from the temple floor and are replacing them with rough granite. This ancient temple, classified as a paadal petra sthalam, contains the most number of inscriptions in this part of the country.

Tamil saint and poet Vallalar had sung at the very spot where the idols of Arunagirinathar and Murugan were both have been removed now. The temple is being renovated but its identity is being destroyed.Most of aftermarket hid Cheap Granite Tiles for motorcycle are similar or the same with following one. The officials are rude whenever we question them, said a devotee.R. Nagaswamy, former director of the Tamil Nadu archaeology department, said, the temple could have originally been a brick structure that existed around the 7th century AD.

Around 1020 AD, Rajendra Chola rebuilt it. The stones have been there for over 1,000 years. The expert appointed by the government for restoring the temples has not been consulted for the renovation, he said.The Tirupati temple had planned to cover Vijayanagara inscriptions with gold sheets but the courts dismissed the idea. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department had replaced the flooring in the Parthasarathy temple with granite but devotees objected to it, Dr. Nagaswamy said.

According to S. Swaminathan, author of several books on temples, the inscriptions serve as proof of our history.There are methods for the preservation of 1,000-year-old inscriptions. The stones have remained there for centuries. What is the need to move them now? Can an executive engineer replace a stone in the Taj Mahal? he said.

T.R. Ramesh, president, Temple Worshipers Society, said a few slabs of inscriptions were broken when they were moved without adequate care.Damage has been done to not just the inscriptions but also to some Shiva lingams. The temple had 11 ekadasa rudra Shiva lingams that are now in a shambles, he said.

An official in the HR&CE department, which manages the affairs of the temple,You benefit from buying Cheap Carving Products ex-factory and directly from a LED manufacturer: said the stone inscriptions on the floor near the Durgai Amman Sannidhi in the Aadhipureeswarar shrine were removed so they could be reinstalled in a suitable spot. Similarly, lingams behind the Aadhipureeswarar Sannidhi were removed to be placed on a dais.The flooring in the temple is being redone, the official said, adding the inscriptions were placed wrongly on the floor, in the past. Usually, they are found on the walls of old temples. In order to safeguard the inscriptions, they are being re-installed suitably so the public can view them.

A glimpse of the van in the Borrowdale car park rolled back the years C the shiny horseshoe-shaped surround of the painted grille catching the eye. How this collector's item triggered memories.It was 50 years ago Walter Dowlen parked his westminster green A35 van under the north face of the Piz Badile in the Engadine valley as we snapped photos.

This was the mode of transport that really brought rock climbing within reach of city dwellers, following the second world war. Climbers still rode Norton Internationals, Triumph Tiger 100s and Ariel Square Fours, but the Austin van had the edge; it gave shelter and cooking space too. Not liable for purchase tax, it was the cheapest commercial vehicle on the road C with low petrol consumption.A China Stone Carving concept that would double as a quick charge station for gadgets.

Our goal? The Cassin route up the immense granite shield, dubbed one of the six great Alpine north faces in Starlight and Storm, the bestseller by French alpinist Gaston Rbuffat.After buying yellow stonefall helmets from Riccardo Cassin himself in his Lecco climbing store, we clambered uphill to bivvy under the face before waking at dawn to brew coffee and porridge, then start up the Rbuffat Corner beetling overhead. Acres of slabs followed to the "snow patch" at nearly midway, after which grooves and chimneys required endless bridging and back-and-footing to the summit.

Ominously, the rock face was deserted bar ourselves, but then we had not realised the forecast was so threatening. Thunder rolled as the day darkened, followed by lightning and torrential downpour. By then we had descended the Italian side to reach the safety of the Giannetti hut.

Passers-by might notice the two cast iron lions in front of this 1950s home just off Court Street. Their fierce countenance, striking size and bright white paint help them stand out against the brick home behind them, where theyve stood for more than 60 years.

These regal lions have watched over at least two Montgomery residences in their lifetime perhaps more than that and now, local preservationists hope to help them find yet another home.

Their lair is in front of the childhood home of artist Anton Haardt, but until the past couple of years Haardt knew little about their history. She thinks her father installed the lions about 1952, not long after the home was built, and she doesnt remember a time when the lions werent there.

The lions guarded the Haardt home for decades and might have remained in relative obscurity if not for a couple of local preservationists. A few years ago, historian Carole King and writer Karren Pell began collaborating on their book Montgomerys Historic Neighborhoods, which was published in 2010.

In their research for the book, they came across some photos and postcards of the Montgomery mansion known as Morning View, the large estate of Gen. Mitchell B. Houghton that stood at the corner of Ann Street and Atlanta Highway. Morning View was recorded as early as 1906, located on the eastern edge of the newly incorporated city of Capitol Heights.

Morning View has an interesting story; longtime Montgomerians will remember the lovely two-story home that faced north on Atlanta Highway, with four large columns supporting a grand portico. A wide driveway led visitors through the spacious grounds that have been described as beautifully landscaped.