VISIT:Members of the expert team inspecting the towers of Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram.
RAMANATHAPURAM: The east and west Rajagopurams of Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram are strong, intact and there is no cause for concern, according to M. Muthiah, Superintending Engineer (Chief Sthapathi), Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE).
Speaking to The Hindu after inspecting the towers of the temple in Rameswaram on Saturday, he said the 12-member expert committee, constituted by the State government to study the stability of the temple towers, particularly the Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple towers, went up to the nine-story east Rajagopuram of Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple and studied the soundness of the structure. A few points of water leakages particularly near the “kalasams” were found. There was a hole near the “kalasams” causing water seepage inside the tower. It had weakened the wooden beams in a few places.
It was found that works undertaken during the first ‘Kumbabishegam' were not up to the mark due to incompleteness. However, the defects were rectified in the next ‘Kumbabishegam.' Some wooden beams of the west tower had also been weakened apparently due to rainwater invasion and age factor.
There was a need to remove the weakened wooden beams and undertake related works so as to further strengthen the structures . Fresh beams could be inserted.
It was also important to keep away the chances of water seepages around the foundation of the towers. It was found that there were lodges, hotels near the east and west towers, which might cause water discharge in the close vicinity of the foundation. The committee was of the view to clear the encroachment near the temple towers.
A. Meher Prasad, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, said except a few issues basically due to water leakages, there was no major problem.
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