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Thukkachi Wins UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award 2024
The Abathsahayeswarar Temple at Thukkachi, near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district, receives the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction for Heritage Conservation in 2024. The restoration is spearheaded by the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department in collaboration with the National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures (NCSHS) at IIT Madras.
Abathsahayeswarar Temple and UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award 2024:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Location | The Abathsahayeswarar Temple is located at Thukkachi, near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district. |
| UNESCO recognition | The shrine has been conferred the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction for Heritage Conservation in 2024. |
| Restoration agencies | The restoration is spearheaded by the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department in collaboration with the National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures (NCSHS) at IIT Madras. |
| Royal endowments | The temple is closely associated with later Chola emperors Kulottunga I and his son Vikrama Chola. |
| Kulottunga I endowment | Kulottunga I provides for the shrine’s endowment specifically for the daily recitation of sacred Thevaram hymns. |
| Vikrama Chola connection | The shrine is the only major temple built entirely during the reign of Vikrama Chola, who expands and structurally completes the earlier structure. |
| Epigraphical records | Historical inscriptions on the stone walls refer to Thukkachi as Thenthirukalathi or Vikramacholeeswaram. |
| Architectural style | The temple is built as a Kara Kovil, a rare architectural style where the sanctuary is structurally sculpted in the physical shape of a chariot. |
| Iconography | The temple houses a highly revered idol of Lord Sarabeshwarar. |
| Conservation methodology | The restoration process merges traditional Sthapatya Veda construction principles with modern scientific methods. |
| Technology used in conservation | The core structural conservation utilises drone surveys and 3D digital mapping to catalog the structure. |
| Granite block handling | Every shifting granite block is individually numbered and digitally mapped before being dismantled and reset into its structurally sound original position. |
| Prakaram clearing | The project team clears dense invasive plants and trees that compromise the masonry, restoring 2 key prakarams without damaging the underlying relief work. |