Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, May 20: Work on the partial restoration of the 600 year old historical mud palace, Sural Palace will be completed by the end of May, announced Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village Manipal trustee Harish Pai on Thursday May 19.
During the visit of Sural Palace with press persons, he narrated the overall development of the restoration work. Tolahars a Jain Royal family, is said to have built this mud palace during the eleventh century. This vernacular architectural palace was unknown to the outside world till the 1970s.
Later it was protected by the state directorate archaeology and museum. The restoration work had begun in the 1980s. Seven courtyard places had been identified at this place. They are Hebbagilu chavadi, Perduru Magani chavani, pattada chavadi, Jain's basadi, Padmavati Amma temple, toilets and sanitation blocks and cowshed, special kitchen blocks.
Initially the restoration work went well, but payment to the state archaeology got pending. Restoration came to a standstill in the middle due to overdue bills. The contractors went to court without completing the roof during the monsoon period in May.
Vijayanath Shenoy, a famous architectural conservationist is said to have taken on the initiative of the restoration and battled it out at the court. In the third year the mud palace collapsed completely.
For almost a year the work got stalled due to lack of funds. During the term of DC Hemalatha, Rs 19 lac fund was brought in. A fund amount of Rs 50 lac was released in November 2013.
Nirmiti Kendra who is entrusted with the work now has hired 25 carpenters, 10 polishers and 10 labourers for the concrete work.
Out of the seven palaces only four could be restored. The annual jathra of Padmavati temple is still in practice every year. It is held in April with splendour. One of the Jain heads, Sudarshan Shetty leads all the religious rituals as per the parampara. He stays here for a week during the annual fest.
The Jain's empires also extended their kingdom in different places like Bailangadi, Baraya, Bangadi, Aladangadi, Vittal, Moodbidri, Padu Panamburu, Venur and Suralu.
Rs 10 - 15 crore is required to complete the entire work.