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Maitreya Buddha Temple, Chamba Lakhang, Basgo, Ladakh
Maitreya Buddha Temple, Chamba Lakhang, Basgo, Ladakh
Ladakh Division, LA, India
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Other Projects by Abha Narain Lambah Associates
Maitreya Buddha Temple, Chamba Lakhang, Basgo, Ladakh
Ladakh Division, LA, India
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2016
SIZE
5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft
BUDGET
$0 - 10K
The restoration of the Maitreya temples at Basgo was initiated by the villagers (under the aegis of the Basgo Welfare Committee) as part of the continuous tradition of repair and renewal of the community’s collective heritage particularly the sacred heritage that has continued for centuries in Ladakh. Since the 1970’s the villagers have been striving to address some of the major threats to the temples by carrying out emergency repairs and mobilizing resources to undertake the work. In 2001, the Basgo Welfare Committee initiated a collaboration with the Namgyal Institute for Research on Ladakhi Art and Culture to source technical expertise and mobilise funds for the restoration of two of the three temples, the Chamchung and the Chamba Lhakhang. The resulting collaboration brought together traditional master craftsmen, artists and knowledge holders with a team of conservation architects, structural engineers, civil engineers and painting conservators to carry out one of the largest private conservation projects in Ladakh.
2. Conservation project’s goals and objectives (client’s brief)
The principal aim of the village community was to restore and safeguard the 15th – 17th century Maitreya temples in Basgo still used in worship by the community. Being a living religious site, the project had to ensure that all restoration activities conformed to and respected the sanctity of the site. This underlying principle also governed in a large measure the conservation strategy that would be devised and implemented on site.
As the project was initiated and implemented by the community, the role of technical experts was seen largely in terms of technical advice rendered in conjunction with that of traditional master craftsmen as well as introduction of contemporary conservation expertise in areas such as the restoration of wall paintings where such expertise did not exist locally.
The principle objectives of the project therefore was:
• Continue the centuries old tradition of community stewardship in the restoration, maintenance and renewal of their collective heritage
• Source and work with traditional master craftsmen and building craftspersons both from the village as well as neighbouring villages to ensure the use of traditional techniques and materials in the conservation programme
• Source and work with contemporary conservation experts such as conservation architects, structural engineers to devise a conservation strategy that would serve to combine traditional building wisdom with contemporary conservation practices
• To mobilise all sections of the community to work towards the restoration of the temples and other heritage structures in the village
• To generate awareness particularly among the youth on the need to preserve the village’s rich cultural and sacred heritage so that in future they would continue the tradition of maintenance, repair and renewal of the community’s collective heritage
3. The background of the property
Located on a rocky outcrop, the citadel was known as the Rab-brtan lha rtse mkhar or ‘Divine Peak of Great Stability’. The history of this fort can be traced back to the 15th century when Ladakh was being ruled by two brothers – Grags pa Bum ‘lde who succeeded to the royal throne and ruled from his palaces at Shey and Leh and his brother Grags pa Bum who ruled over lower Ladakh from his capital at present day Tingmosgang and Basgo. The kingdom was finally united when Bhagan, the grand son of Grags pa Bum, overthrew his contemporary ruling over upper Ladakh and founded a new dynasty – the Namgyal dynasty. Not much is known of the construction of the fort during this early period. Given the evidence of several structures belonging to the time of Rinchen Bzang po (11th century) in this area it is more than possible that there were some structures in the fort dating to this period and these were strengthened and additional structures built here in the 15th century. However, it is generally believed that the main temple or Chamba Lhakhang as well as some sections of the old palace possibly date to the 15th century.
Subsequent additions were made by later rulers particularly at the time of king Tsewang Namgyal and King Sengge Namgyal. It was during the reign of the latter that the first European visitor to Ladakh, Diogo d’Almeida, a Portuguese layman visited the King at the capital in Basgo.
Traces of the old fortifications and ruined watch towers can still be seen today highlighting its reputation as the most impregnable fort in Ladakh. It witnessed some of the fiercest battles in Ladakh's history. With a perennial source of water from a spring located high above the pastures above the village, as well stocked granaries the citadel was able to withstand a 3 year siege by the Mongol army in the 17th century. The site was ransacked again during the Dogra invasion of the 1830’s and many of the precious manuscripts and images from the temples were carried away by the invading army.
Although in ruins today, the three temples inside the fort namely the Chamba Lhakhang, Serzang and Chamchung continue to be used in worship by the community.
Chamba Lhakhang: The Chamba Lhakhang is the earliest as well as the largest of the three Maitreya temples and is believed to have been built during the reign of king Grags-pa Bum ‘lde. The wall paintings within however, date to a later period and were commissioned during the reign of King Tsewang Namgyal in the 16th century.
The central hall of the temple houses an impressive gilded three storied clay image of the Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the Future) surrounded by two smaller one storied images of Bodhisattvas on either side. The elaborately painted wooden ceiling is supported on four slender painted wooden columns. This is one of the few temples in Ladakh with a painted ceiling which depict a range of motifs. The primary attraction of this temple however, is the exquisite murals which date back to the 16th century. The temple is possibly the only example of the period to survive with its murals intact. On the left are paintings of the three Sugatas (representing the Buddhas of the past, present and future) along with images of Tsongkhapa, Vajrasattva and the white and green Taras as well as other tutelary deities. The right wall depicts paintings of Padma Karpo the great Drug-pa Kargyud scholar of the 16th century which stylistically appear to have been painted at a later period. On one side of the doorway can be seen panels depicting the king Tsewang Namgyal resplendent in his royal robes along with other members of the royal retinue. Two ancillary wings of the main temple were probably constructed at a later date. These may have been residences for the monks which fell into disuse and have been recently restored. They provide access to the roof of the temple which provides a good view of the surrounding countryside
The basic conservation philosophy followed during the course of the project was that of minimal intervention and authenticity of material and that of the continuum of traditional building traditions and a respect for the traditional systems of the region in the framework of a living place of worship. There was an active consultation and discussion process between the Basgo Village community and the trained conservation professionals for each of the interventions adopted and while the conservation team ensured that the building was restored using traditional techniques and materials with minimal new interventions, it was equally important to ensure that alien construction systems such as elaborate stainless steel cables, stiches etc were not used as the community would not even be able to maintain these in the long run. Therefore, right from the use of taalu willow stiches, to mud grouts, bhojpatra and mud terracing and even the temporary buttressing of mud blocks, the entire vocabulary of intervention and material used was inherently that of materials the community felt at ease at handling.
The team ensured that the material used in the restoration, from the temporary earth work buttressing used during the works, to the bhojpatra (birch bark), the yagzas and umbu shrubs and grasses employed in the packing of the rabsaal roof and even the mud layering technique for the terraces adhered to the traditional construction techniques and materials originally used in the building’s construction. This was the first project in the region to adhere to the historical and traditional bhoj patra terracing layer that was original to the construction of the temples of this period and though it took a full year to procure the protected bark after due permissions from the state forest department (that only allowed the collection of fallen birch bark from the trees as it is a protected species and had strict regulations for its transportation to site from the Kashmir Valley) the team was unanimous in using this material where ever the original historic bhojpatra layer had been irrevocably damaged.
Documentation pre, during and post intervention was adopted and there was careful lab testing of soils, clays etc that helped the technical team guide their technical solutions. However, eventually there seemed to be no contradiction between the scientific reasons and the traditional systems already employed and thus there was unanimity in the conservation approach between the community and the architect.
The restoration project had earlier through core drill tests in the previous season of 2004 found and established the use of birchbark in this terrace and decided on this technique with a view to keep the original method of construction as authentic and historically accurate as was possible. Before removing the mud terracing, (that was essential to remove the loading from the structural columns before they could be jacked up for correction), a test patch of terrace was carefully removed. The thickness of various layers and their constituents were documented layer by layer to establish the accurate layering and sequence of the terrace material and construction. The original terrace over the main temple revealed the base layer of birch bark (bhojpatra) placed over the timber planking as a waterproofing layer.
In addition careful planning and discussions between the experts and villagers ensured that all conservation measures adopted on site would be viable in the long term and could be monitored as well as maintained by the community in future.
Stabilisation of the site: The stabilisation of the hill was seen as the most critical issue because unless the primary threat to the building was not addressed any restoration effort would at best be short term. The decision to build a retaining wall around the site was seen as the most viable solution to consolidate the foundations. Due to continuing erosion, the building itself stood precariously on top of a vertical hill with the foundations exposed due to weathering. Access to the temple would also have to be provided to enable conservation work on the temple to commence. After careful observation over many years it was decided to design a viable and permanent solution to shore up the foundation and to check further erosion around the foundation of the Lhakhang. The retaining wall was conceived and designed taking into account two important parameters: a) readily available building materials, and techniques familiar to local skilled labour b) visual integrity of the wall with the historic buildings. Depending on the height of the structure to be supported, and the space available, the foundation depth and width of the foundation were worked out as per design parameters. The sloping face was designed to give better stability, safety against overturning effect, safety against sliding effect and as a deterrent to vegetative growth. For better stress and strain and for uniform distribution of loads, horizontal wooden bracings were provided at appropriate height intervals which also act as safety against seismic forces. To avoid monolithic action during seismic activity, vertical separations have been provided in the retaining walls at intervals of 15 Meters length. The top of the walls have been made water tight with stone copping thus precluding any chance of saturation of the back soil. Moreover, the retaining walls itself has been built with good quality stone and mud mortars instead of dry masonry as is normally followed in Ladakh.
Structural Consolidation and Architectural Restoration:
The Restoration of the Chhamba Lakhang was done over three seasons (work seasons being limited to the period between April – September due to the extremely hostile winter conditions) in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Rationale for phasing of work: The team decided that whereas the first season of 2004 would aim to establish the conservation methodology, testing, samples, enabling works and procurement of material as well as taking up necessary buttressing grouting works and addressing the ancillary section, the second work season (April to September 2005) would involve stabilization of the main temple structure. The season for work being limited to the summer, April 2004 in the architect’s opinion gave too short a lead period to procure well seasoned timber and bhojpatra to undertake the main temple roof restoration in the summer of 2004 and the project needed an adequate lead time and preparatory period to ensure that all timber, material and labour procurement was planned well in advance. This phasing was adopted so that the methodology, material usage and workmanship established for the ancillary areas in 2004 could then be taken up for the main hall in 2005, by which time a regularized restoration standard would be evolved and the important work on the historic sections of the building would be undertaken by workmen that have already been trained in the techniques at the relatively less critical parts of the site.
WORK SEASON 2004 : FABRIC INSPECTION, ASSESSMENT OF THREATS, PROCURING MATERIAL, TRIAL SAMPLES & WORK IN ANCILLARY AREAS
Fabric Assessment & Investigations: Conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah and her team undertook a detailed site inspection of the structural and architectural issues in early 2004, mapping the fabric condition as well as undertaking investigative tests (such as a core tests to establish the composition and layering of the roofing. Mapping of all structural and architectural defects in the form of drawings at all levels with the help of visual surveys, resonance hammer tests and photographic documentation was undertaken by the architectural team. An internal tubular movable stations on castors allowed close up inspection of columns and beams in the Prayer hall.
Testing & Investigations: Test samples of various earths and local clays such as Zassa, Jalasa, Markhala etc were sent to a laboratory for their clay content and compositions. In order to ascertain the exact composition of the main hall roof matrix, a sample core drilling of the Prayer Hall mud terracing was undertaken. Core drilling, with the hole size note exceeding 3” diameter and approximately 12” deep, was undertaken at a sheltered location under the rabsaal that was covered and therefore not threatened by imminent precipitation. Such an investigation revealed a 12” mud layer with the top layer of mud mixed with hay and intermediate layer of small pebbles of average 10mm diameter. The original layer had been incrementally increased over the years on account of the constant mud layers added as part of periodic maintenance.
The most interesting was the discovery of thin strips of Bhojpatra or Betula Utilis over the joints of the painted boarding of the main hall. This was the first time that such a material was found in use in the Chamba Lakhang, as it was believed that the commonly used construction methodology of a yagzas layer below the mud terracing was usually employed. The team thus decided to adhere to this very historic mud terracing system for the roof and made arrangements for procuring bhoj patra from Kashmir Valley that season, so that it could season on site over the winter months before being used in the work season 2005.
Trial Samples of Mud Plasters: In order to ascertain the correct plaster mix proportions and specifications for fine and graded plastering of internal and external walls, preparation of sample patches of plaster with the help of local master craftsmen was undertaken to identify the mix to be used for future restoration work and avoid unadvisable experimentation on the historic structure during actual work. Batches of plaster were prepared on a moistened rough wall surface. The first mix was prepared using 1:1 proportion of jalasa (local yellow clay) and local sand. The second mix was prepared using 1:1 proportion of zasa (hard red clay in lumps which needs pulverization before use) and local sand. The third mix was prepared using 1:1 proportion of khusa (old recycled soil from old buildings) and local sand. On application of the first plaster coat, after twenty minutes drops of water were splashed on this surface to gently moisten and re-smooth plaster to avoid cracks. To understand proportions used locally, a craftsman Mr. Dorje Hundup was invited from neighbouring Likhir, who indicated the use of apricot pulp as binder for the plaster and application of ¾” to 1” thick plaster for internal plaster of the ancillary rooms using Basgo brown clay and hay with boil “spin” as binder and fine plaster using “spin” on mud plaster with kaolin. The mix to be used would be that of 2 jalasa : 1 zasa : 1 sand : 1 markhala (white clay) using minimal water to achieve mix consistency. Internal plastering with Fine mud plaster in West Ancillary area was undertaken and would be carried for all the internal walls of the ancillary areas.
Preliminary Works & Strengthening of Ancillary Areas & Staircase: This season’s work also included making sample plasters and grouts using various mixes of the local clays and earths available, making a sample terrace in traditional mud layering with poplar wood spouts over the staircase mumpty roof to replace the corrugated galvanized sheet (so as to try out the roofing technique over a non-historic roof as a sample to see how this worked over a year’s time before the historic roof was touched). The staircase leading from the ancillary area that had collapse was cleaned up and consolidated. The staircase landing in the ancillary section had been weakened on account of the damaged taalu (willow sticks) layer and was caving in at several sections, leading to an increased risk of collapse. The area was cleared of debris was marked out and the level of removal of mud layer decided. The area for stacking of removed material was identified and it was decided that for removal of this nature only equipment of the nature of small tools were used. It was also ensured that not more than one person per 4-5 sq.m. was working for safety reasons. The staircase was consolidated and the ancillary areas were made reusable again for lighting butter lamps by the monks. The mud slab on the staircase landing that had severe cracks and was distressed, was re laid using the same techniques and reusing the mud. Retaining the timber support members below, the entire taalu work was redone using grained, uniform thickness taalus, over which a layer of pre wetted and soaked (overnight) ‘yagzas’ (a local dried grass) layer has been added, another layer of moistened jute cloth prior to mud terracing cover. This would act as a pilot case for demonstrating the construction technique to be employed for repair of ancillary room floors.
Wall grouting using a fine mud slurry was undertaken in sections of the Main Prayer hall walls by a team of specialized conservators led by wall painting conservator Sanjay Dhar to act as a basic preventive mechanism for the protection of the wall murals from water ingress on the painted side of the wall. The grout mix employed a specification of mud based grout using local clays and sand. The mix being employed is that of 2 Jalasa (local yellow clay): 1 Zassa (local red clay): 1 sand and 1 Markhala (white clay) in water.
Sequencing of Works: Understanding the unique seasonal working arrangement of Ladakh, it was decided that the conservation work would be divided into two phases; the first season’s work (April – September 2004) would include consolidation of the ancillary areas and staircase access to the main roof (as this would not only help as necessary enabling works to access the main terrace but also help establish the basic conservation methodology and techniques for restoration and most critically, allow a full year to evaluate the efficacy of the technique adopted and to test how the work holds up in a year’s time and during the critical winter snowfall before the temple proper was taken up for restoration).
Under the supervision of the site architect, masonry cracks along the west, north and east walls on the ancillary structure side were stitched using flexible taalu (willow) stitches at a vertical spacing of 2 feet. The mud plaster specifications used were similar to the one employed for the crack grouting, though with a lower water content.
Enabling works: Before undertaking the actual consolidation work of the main temple roof, critical enabling works in terms of buttressing and providing a protective cover would have to be accounted for. For this several schemes of protective covering over the roof were prepared by the conservation architects as well as by the structural consultant. In order to prevent any damage from rainfall etc., tarpaulin protective sheets had been procured and brought to site to act as enabling and protective measures for site work.
The team was acutely aware of the fact, that given the fragile condition of the temple, any work on the main roof had to be undertaken only when proper propping and buttressing was done. The team also felt that though the two side walls of the shrine were buttressed by the ancillary rooms, the front wall was very vulnerable. Instead of using a support system in modern materials that would be alien to the site context, the structural engineer Mr. Kamal Sabarwal designed as a temporary ‘reversible intervention’, a mud block and timber buttressing system to support the front wall during the site works. This also acting as much needed scaffolding for the works of the rabsaal and windows during the site works. Built of local unbaked mud blocks and poplar wood, this was erected by the local masons and finally dismantled at the end of the work season 2005.
A temporary rear staircase as part of enabling works for facilitating movement of material, labour etc. has been constructed for the duration of the project for easy access of material and labour etc from the road side. The staircase helped avoid a long and circuitous route for the movement of material and loads and also did not threaten to damage the main temple staircase due to material movement. The work was flagged off with the performing of the ceremonial puja attended by almost all the Basgo villagers, who also organized the function afterwards.
Procurement of material to this remote site was a big issue as the whereas the muds and clays (zassa, jalasa, markhala) could be sourced locally, the yagzas and umbu shrubs had to be collected from the neighbouring mountains and specially timber (deodar) had to be procured from Kashmir Valley before the road route closed for the winter in time for the next season and seasoned on site. The Basgo Village Community contributed with ‘in kind’ contributions in the form of willow and mud blocks as well as voluntary labour and the occasional hosted meals for the site staff.
Peer Review Mechanism: The site work as well as the conservation strategy adopted by the project team was placed for discussion and peer review in July 2004 when a trans national “UNESCO Himalayan Training Workshop on Conservation of Earth Structures” was organized at the site and conservation architects and practitioners from Nepal, India and Bhutan as well as international experts from UK, Norway and Italy attended a two week workshop on site and reviewed the team’s conservation strategy and methodology. The project team interacted with the workshop participants and freely shared their reports and the strategy and specifications employed. The project architect also presented a paper on the project at the World Monuments Fund international conference in Colombo and also sent mid term periodic evaluation reports to NIRLAC and World Monuments Fund.
WORK SEASON 2005 : FABRIC INSPECTION, ASSESSMENT OF THREATS, PROCURING MATERIAL, TRIAL SAMPLES & WORK IN ANCILLARY AREAS
For the Second Work Season of 2005, the first site inspection of the season in April was carried out by conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah and Structural Engineer Chetan Raikar in April to assess the condition of the structure after the last winter’s heavy snow fall. This visit also helped ascertain the structural scheme for propping and stake stock of the timber and bhoj patra brought in from Kashmir in the previous fall season of 2004 and was allowed to season on site over the winter months. The snow was cleared by villagers during the winter after each snowfall to prevent the slab from being over loaded. The mud brick masonry buttresses had held up well, and these were considered sound to be used during the forthcoming work season of May – September 2005. Mubashir ul Islam was appointed as the site architect for this season.
The work in this season involved the major part of the architectural and structural consolidation of the main temple structure and roof and involved Procuring, Stacking & Sorting of Wood ; Terracing with bhojpatra (birchbark), yagzas, umbu and various muds ; rafting timber Kajus (Capitals) and Mardung (Beams) to replace the 2 badly cracked and broken capitals and the one capital that had been earlier replaced with an inappropriate design in the 1970s; Erection of Propping System and structural support framework; Protective works for the Maitreya Idol and Interior and Exterior Protective Coverings;Carpentry works of Rabsaal Shutters and upper level skylight;Removal of Surface mud from the Terrace to expose the timber slats beneath; Careful stacking and sorting of original bhojpatra (birchbark) and original mud procured from terrace for reuse; Jacking up structural columns one by one for lifting kaju and replacing/correcting the structural member; Relaying of the Terracing & Restoring the Historic Mud Terracing in the traditional seven layered method with the base layer of bhojpatra; Restoration of Ancillary roof slabs; Correcting the site slopes and Provision of traditional Poplar Wood Drainage spouts ; Painting and finishing of upper Rabsaal roof umbu; Final removal of last season’s buttress wall and inner propping system; Final coat of markhala mud plaster
Propping, Procurement & Enabling Works: This involved the procurement of material like wood, yagzas,bhojpatra (birch bark), umbu twigs to site and mobilization of material, tools and local craftsmen from within the Basgo Village. Care was taken to protect the image of the Maitreya Buddha and the intricate wall paintings. The propping system was arranged and organised in a manner so that one could move easily from one bay to another within the temple with the props on and they could be simultaneously shifted to other bays. The entire terrace was provided with a removable rain cover to protect it from any rainfall during the time that the terrace planks had been opened up for repairs. The tarpaulin cover was spread across the terrace at the end of each work day and high density plastic sheet covering ( in blue) was provided for the rabsaal .
Structural Consolidation of the Timber columns and beams: In order to address the correction of the leaning column and also to address the broken timber column capitals it was necessary to jack the structural system temporarily to relieve the load from the column and undertake the correction. While this was a carefully calibrated exercise taken up in bays to address each column and beam quarter separately (carefully removing the damaged cracked kaju, raising the beam above it and replacing it with the new timber kaju), this required that the heavy load on the structural system be temporarily removed to undertake this critical process. The mud from the terrace had to be carefully removed in bays according to the grids followed below inside the temple for replacing the members. Before removing the entire mud terracing, a test patch (1.0 X 1.0 mt.) was removed. The thickness of various layers and their constituents were documented layer by layer to establish the accurate layering and sequence of the terrace material and construction. The original terrace over the main temple revealed the base layer of birch bark (bhojpatra) placed over the timber planking as a waterproofing layer. This was the first restoration project in the region that documented and found untouched terrace samples of nearly 600 years that showed the original birchbark construction. The ancillary roof terraces that had been repaired at some point in the past showed a layer of polythene. The terrace mud, although removed at a snail's pace, was isolated in a way so that vibrations of the tools used would not damage the wall paintings. The total thickness of the mud on the terrace was found to be around 300 – 400 mm. The First 160 mm were found to be added in recent years and alternatively changed during the course of history. The top most part mostly had mud which was clayey (Markhala) and as going down up to 150 – 200 m . Different types of materials in the form of Polythene sheeting (introduced in the top 100 mm layer of recent repairs) wooden twigs, charcoal pieces, aggregates (of varying sizes 0.50-5.0 Cms.) besides different layers of mud especially the nearby red (Jalasa) mud was found in particular. The next layer (120 mm) was found to be more compact, compressed and densely packed. This was carefully removed stacked separately and as we moved down up to the last point, a paper thin lining of the historic birch bark that had been laid over the painted timber planking. This had historically acted as a water proof membrane on the ceiling planks and stopped water from dripping down. This last layer of mud (120-150 mm) was put separately from the previous lot. This has also been referred to as the historic layer. Locally available grass (Yagzas) was also found in this layer near the birch bark. Now after the entire mud was removed to expose the painted timber planks, the planks were corrected and laid back in level. The terracing was removed in accordance with the bays from one grid to other and made the corrected bay ready for the relaying process.
Structural Consolidation: Correction of distressed timber column, beams and Kajus: After the crafting of replacement timber kajus and beams in the original design, in each bay, the beam (mardung) was jacked at the point slightly away from the centre and towards the kaju and the other connected beam was also jacked so that the kajus could be made free of the overhead weight. The kaju was slowly rotated around its dowel and made to come out with the two pieces coming individually after slight movements. After removing the Kaju, the dimensions of the dowel (of the column to which it was fixed) were measured and subsequently groove was made in the new kaju. The beam was tied with the rope, above from the terrace and pulled slowly and as such removed away. Moreover at this point again care was taken so that the wall paintings were not damaged. The grooves and dowels were made in the new timber beam (which had already been dressed) after taking dimensions from the older one. In the same manner, the new beam was introduced and as such replaced. After replacing the first beam, props were shifted to other bays and the members were replaced. This was the methodology adopted for each of the three bays.
The noticeable difference in the structural scheme applied for the 4 kajus was in the bay to address the leaning column that had been propped up by a side column in the past. In this case, after following the same sequence of propping, relieving the load from the column and beam, the column was carefully re-aligned. The column was tied with the ropes after it was made free of the load of the beams and the Kaju. Plumb bobs were dropped from the above; it was observed that the column had leaned up to 300 – 375 mm from its origin point. It was carefully moved at the base and erected in plumb, to restore the centre of gravity.
Restoring the Historic Mud Terracing: Procurement of Traditional Materials: After the structural members were corrected/replaced, the terracing work was started. Before actually started the terracing, Pre-Terracing measures were taken in the form of collection and separation (dressing) of materials. The Birch Bark procured last year was sorted and seasoned, the flashings were procured and cut into the sizes to be used over the line of the painted masonry walls as an additional defense against seepage staining of the painted murals and along the edge of the Skylight. The locally available grass (Yagzas) was procured and pre - wetted. Before starting the relaying process test patches with inputs from the conservation architect, the local community members and craftsmen were taken and one of the patches was found to be appropriate and was selected for the relaying process. Starting from down to up, the first layer comprised of Birch bark, then Yagzas and the 75 mm thick mud in the ratio of 3:1 (3 Parts of historic mud without sieved to one part of sand) with a sufficient amount of water and barley straw added. The water here was taken care of especially concerning the fact that the painted walls were exposed and the planks could get damaged. Near the walls and along the edges of the skylight, the flashings (4’) were spread and covered with Birch Bark, Yagzas and the mud. At points where the older mud was not removed, joints cutting at acute angles were made and groves were chiselled on the parapet walls. The joints and groves were made wet substantially. This layer was fully compacted and made to wet. The cracks were observed in this layer which were grouted with the grout prepared with the local mud’s (1 White (Markhala) and ½ Yellow (Zasa)). The cracks got filled and were fully compacted. After this layer, the next layer of same composition but without birch barks and grass was laid. The older mud layer was made wet with keys made in them. The same procedure as regards the joints and grooves was done. When the team had inspected the site in 2004, the drainage spouts were in PVC pipes. The restoration team was committed to the re-installation of the traditional timber spouts carved out of a trunk of poplar wood and these were inserted, after correcting the terrace drainage slopes.
Restoration of Wall Paintings
The project dealt with several issues that had to define a fine balance between community expectations and international conservation norms. The most significant issue related to that of the wall paintings. As these are living religious sites it was agreed that the paintings inside the temple could not be left incomplete in areas which had suffered maximum loss of principal figures of the deities. At the same time rather than commissioning completely new images it was agreed to only work at completing missing areas so that from the religious viewpoint the deities were complete. Traditional artists well versed in Buddhist iconography worked with the painting conservators in the final repainting and re-integration of missing areas and figures.
2. Conservation project’s goals and objectives (client’s brief)
The principal aim of the village community was to restore and safeguard the 15th – 17th century Maitreya temples in Basgo still used in worship by the community. Being a living religious site, the project had to ensure that all restoration activities conformed to and respected the sanctity of the site. This underlying principle also governed in a large measure the conservation strategy that would be devised and implemented on site.
As the project was initiated and implemented by the community, the role of technical experts was seen largely in terms of technical advice rendered in conjunction with that of traditional master craftsmen as well as introduction of contemporary conservation expertise in areas such as the restoration of wall paintings where such expertise did not exist locally.
The principle objectives of the project therefore was:
• Continue the centuries old tradition of community stewardship in the restoration, maintenance and renewal of their collective heritage
• Source and work with traditional master craftsmen and building craftspersons both from the village as well as neighbouring villages to ensure the use of traditional techniques and materials in the conservation programme
• Source and work with contemporary conservation experts such as conservation architects, structural engineers to devise a conservation strategy that would serve to combine traditional building wisdom with contemporary conservation practices
• To mobilise all sections of the community to work towards the restoration of the temples and other heritage structures in the village
• To generate awareness particularly among the youth on the need to preserve the village’s rich cultural and sacred heritage so that in future they would continue the tradition of maintenance, repair and renewal of the community’s collective heritage
3. The background of the property
Located on a rocky outcrop, the citadel was known as the Rab-brtan lha rtse mkhar or ‘Divine Peak of Great Stability’. The history of this fort can be traced back to the 15th century when Ladakh was being ruled by two brothers – Grags pa Bum ‘lde who succeeded to the royal throne and ruled from his palaces at Shey and Leh and his brother Grags pa Bum who ruled over lower Ladakh from his capital at present day Tingmosgang and Basgo. The kingdom was finally united when Bhagan, the grand son of Grags pa Bum, overthrew his contemporary ruling over upper Ladakh and founded a new dynasty – the Namgyal dynasty. Not much is known of the construction of the fort during this early period. Given the evidence of several structures belonging to the time of Rinchen Bzang po (11th century) in this area it is more than possible that there were some structures in the fort dating to this period and these were strengthened and additional structures built here in the 15th century. However, it is generally believed that the main temple or Chamba Lhakhang as well as some sections of the old palace possibly date to the 15th century.
Subsequent additions were made by later rulers particularly at the time of king Tsewang Namgyal and King Sengge Namgyal. It was during the reign of the latter that the first European visitor to Ladakh, Diogo d’Almeida, a Portuguese layman visited the King at the capital in Basgo.
Traces of the old fortifications and ruined watch towers can still be seen today highlighting its reputation as the most impregnable fort in Ladakh. It witnessed some of the fiercest battles in Ladakh's history. With a perennial source of water from a spring located high above the pastures above the village, as well stocked granaries the citadel was able to withstand a 3 year siege by the Mongol army in the 17th century. The site was ransacked again during the Dogra invasion of the 1830’s and many of the precious manuscripts and images from the temples were carried away by the invading army.
Although in ruins today, the three temples inside the fort namely the Chamba Lhakhang, Serzang and Chamchung continue to be used in worship by the community.
Chamba Lhakhang: The Chamba Lhakhang is the earliest as well as the largest of the three Maitreya temples and is believed to have been built during the reign of king Grags-pa Bum ‘lde. The wall paintings within however, date to a later period and were commissioned during the reign of King Tsewang Namgyal in the 16th century.
The central hall of the temple houses an impressive gilded three storied clay image of the Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the Future) surrounded by two smaller one storied images of Bodhisattvas on either side. The elaborately painted wooden ceiling is supported on four slender painted wooden columns. This is one of the few temples in Ladakh with a painted ceiling which depict a range of motifs. The primary attraction of this temple however, is the exquisite murals which date back to the 16th century. The temple is possibly the only example of the period to survive with its murals intact. On the left are paintings of the three Sugatas (representing the Buddhas of the past, present and future) along with images of Tsongkhapa, Vajrasattva and the white and green Taras as well as other tutelary deities. The right wall depicts paintings of Padma Karpo the great Drug-pa Kargyud scholar of the 16th century which stylistically appear to have been painted at a later period. On one side of the doorway can be seen panels depicting the king Tsewang Namgyal resplendent in his royal robes along with other members of the royal retinue. Two ancillary wings of the main temple were probably constructed at a later date. These may have been residences for the monks which fell into disuse and have been recently restored. They provide access to the roof of the temple which provides a good view of the surrounding countryside
The basic conservation philosophy followed during the course of the project was that of minimal intervention and authenticity of material and that of the continuum of traditional building traditions and a respect for the traditional systems of the region in the framework of a living place of worship. There was an active consultation and discussion process between the Basgo Village community and the trained conservation professionals for each of the interventions adopted and while the conservation team ensured that the building was restored using traditional techniques and materials with minimal new interventions, it was equally important to ensure that alien construction systems such as elaborate stainless steel cables, stiches etc were not used as the community would not even be able to maintain these in the long run. Therefore, right from the use of taalu willow stiches, to mud grouts, bhojpatra and mud terracing and even the temporary buttressing of mud blocks, the entire vocabulary of intervention and material used was inherently that of materials the community felt at ease at handling.
The team ensured that the material used in the restoration, from the temporary earth work buttressing used during the works, to the bhojpatra (birch bark), the yagzas and umbu shrubs and grasses employed in the packing of the rabsaal roof and even the mud layering technique for the terraces adhered to the traditional construction techniques and materials originally used in the building’s construction. This was the first project in the region to adhere to the historical and traditional bhoj patra terracing layer that was original to the construction of the temples of this period and though it took a full year to procure the protected bark after due permissions from the state forest department (that only allowed the collection of fallen birch bark from the trees as it is a protected species and had strict regulations for its transportation to site from the Kashmir Valley) the team was unanimous in using this material where ever the original historic bhojpatra layer had been irrevocably damaged.
Documentation pre, during and post intervention was adopted and there was careful lab testing of soils, clays etc that helped the technical team guide their technical solutions. However, eventually there seemed to be no contradiction between the scientific reasons and the traditional systems already employed and thus there was unanimity in the conservation approach between the community and the architect.
The restoration project had earlier through core drill tests in the previous season of 2004 found and established the use of birchbark in this terrace and decided on this technique with a view to keep the original method of construction as authentic and historically accurate as was possible. Before removing the mud terracing, (that was essential to remove the loading from the structural columns before they could be jacked up for correction), a test patch of terrace was carefully removed. The thickness of various layers and their constituents were documented layer by layer to establish the accurate layering and sequence of the terrace material and construction. The original terrace over the main temple revealed the base layer of birch bark (bhojpatra) placed over the timber planking as a waterproofing layer.
In addition careful planning and discussions between the experts and villagers ensured that all conservation measures adopted on site would be viable in the long term and could be monitored as well as maintained by the community in future.
Stabilisation of the site: The stabilisation of the hill was seen as the most critical issue because unless the primary threat to the building was not addressed any restoration effort would at best be short term. The decision to build a retaining wall around the site was seen as the most viable solution to consolidate the foundations. Due to continuing erosion, the building itself stood precariously on top of a vertical hill with the foundations exposed due to weathering. Access to the temple would also have to be provided to enable conservation work on the temple to commence. After careful observation over many years it was decided to design a viable and permanent solution to shore up the foundation and to check further erosion around the foundation of the Lhakhang. The retaining wall was conceived and designed taking into account two important parameters: a) readily available building materials, and techniques familiar to local skilled labour b) visual integrity of the wall with the historic buildings. Depending on the height of the structure to be supported, and the space available, the foundation depth and width of the foundation were worked out as per design parameters. The sloping face was designed to give better stability, safety against overturning effect, safety against sliding effect and as a deterrent to vegetative growth. For better stress and strain and for uniform distribution of loads, horizontal wooden bracings were provided at appropriate height intervals which also act as safety against seismic forces. To avoid monolithic action during seismic activity, vertical separations have been provided in the retaining walls at intervals of 15 Meters length. The top of the walls have been made water tight with stone copping thus precluding any chance of saturation of the back soil. Moreover, the retaining walls itself has been built with good quality stone and mud mortars instead of dry masonry as is normally followed in Ladakh.
Structural Consolidation and Architectural Restoration:
The Restoration of the Chhamba Lakhang was done over three seasons (work seasons being limited to the period between April – September due to the extremely hostile winter conditions) in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Rationale for phasing of work: The team decided that whereas the first season of 2004 would aim to establish the conservation methodology, testing, samples, enabling works and procurement of material as well as taking up necessary buttressing grouting works and addressing the ancillary section, the second work season (April to September 2005) would involve stabilization of the main temple structure. The season for work being limited to the summer, April 2004 in the architect’s opinion gave too short a lead period to procure well seasoned timber and bhojpatra to undertake the main temple roof restoration in the summer of 2004 and the project needed an adequate lead time and preparatory period to ensure that all timber, material and labour procurement was planned well in advance. This phasing was adopted so that the methodology, material usage and workmanship established for the ancillary areas in 2004 could then be taken up for the main hall in 2005, by which time a regularized restoration standard would be evolved and the important work on the historic sections of the building would be undertaken by workmen that have already been trained in the techniques at the relatively less critical parts of the site.
WORK SEASON 2004 : FABRIC INSPECTION, ASSESSMENT OF THREATS, PROCURING MATERIAL, TRIAL SAMPLES & WORK IN ANCILLARY AREAS
Fabric Assessment & Investigations: Conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah and her team undertook a detailed site inspection of the structural and architectural issues in early 2004, mapping the fabric condition as well as undertaking investigative tests (such as a core tests to establish the composition and layering of the roofing. Mapping of all structural and architectural defects in the form of drawings at all levels with the help of visual surveys, resonance hammer tests and photographic documentation was undertaken by the architectural team. An internal tubular movable stations on castors allowed close up inspection of columns and beams in the Prayer hall.
Testing & Investigations: Test samples of various earths and local clays such as Zassa, Jalasa, Markhala etc were sent to a laboratory for their clay content and compositions. In order to ascertain the exact composition of the main hall roof matrix, a sample core drilling of the Prayer Hall mud terracing was undertaken. Core drilling, with the hole size note exceeding 3” diameter and approximately 12” deep, was undertaken at a sheltered location under the rabsaal that was covered and therefore not threatened by imminent precipitation. Such an investigation revealed a 12” mud layer with the top layer of mud mixed with hay and intermediate layer of small pebbles of average 10mm diameter. The original layer had been incrementally increased over the years on account of the constant mud layers added as part of periodic maintenance.
The most interesting was the discovery of thin strips of Bhojpatra or Betula Utilis over the joints of the painted boarding of the main hall. This was the first time that such a material was found in use in the Chamba Lakhang, as it was believed that the commonly used construction methodology of a yagzas layer below the mud terracing was usually employed. The team thus decided to adhere to this very historic mud terracing system for the roof and made arrangements for procuring bhoj patra from Kashmir Valley that season, so that it could season on site over the winter months before being used in the work season 2005.
Trial Samples of Mud Plasters: In order to ascertain the correct plaster mix proportions and specifications for fine and graded plastering of internal and external walls, preparation of sample patches of plaster with the help of local master craftsmen was undertaken to identify the mix to be used for future restoration work and avoid unadvisable experimentation on the historic structure during actual work. Batches of plaster were prepared on a moistened rough wall surface. The first mix was prepared using 1:1 proportion of jalasa (local yellow clay) and local sand. The second mix was prepared using 1:1 proportion of zasa (hard red clay in lumps which needs pulverization before use) and local sand. The third mix was prepared using 1:1 proportion of khusa (old recycled soil from old buildings) and local sand. On application of the first plaster coat, after twenty minutes drops of water were splashed on this surface to gently moisten and re-smooth plaster to avoid cracks. To understand proportions used locally, a craftsman Mr. Dorje Hundup was invited from neighbouring Likhir, who indicated the use of apricot pulp as binder for the plaster and application of ¾” to 1” thick plaster for internal plaster of the ancillary rooms using Basgo brown clay and hay with boil “spin” as binder and fine plaster using “spin” on mud plaster with kaolin. The mix to be used would be that of 2 jalasa : 1 zasa : 1 sand : 1 markhala (white clay) using minimal water to achieve mix consistency. Internal plastering with Fine mud plaster in West Ancillary area was undertaken and would be carried for all the internal walls of the ancillary areas.
Preliminary Works & Strengthening of Ancillary Areas & Staircase: This season’s work also included making sample plasters and grouts using various mixes of the local clays and earths available, making a sample terrace in traditional mud layering with poplar wood spouts over the staircase mumpty roof to replace the corrugated galvanized sheet (so as to try out the roofing technique over a non-historic roof as a sample to see how this worked over a year’s time before the historic roof was touched). The staircase leading from the ancillary area that had collapse was cleaned up and consolidated. The staircase landing in the ancillary section had been weakened on account of the damaged taalu (willow sticks) layer and was caving in at several sections, leading to an increased risk of collapse. The area was cleared of debris was marked out and the level of removal of mud layer decided. The area for stacking of removed material was identified and it was decided that for removal of this nature only equipment of the nature of small tools were used. It was also ensured that not more than one person per 4-5 sq.m. was working for safety reasons. The staircase was consolidated and the ancillary areas were made reusable again for lighting butter lamps by the monks. The mud slab on the staircase landing that had severe cracks and was distressed, was re laid using the same techniques and reusing the mud. Retaining the timber support members below, the entire taalu work was redone using grained, uniform thickness taalus, over which a layer of pre wetted and soaked (overnight) ‘yagzas’ (a local dried grass) layer has been added, another layer of moistened jute cloth prior to mud terracing cover. This would act as a pilot case for demonstrating the construction technique to be employed for repair of ancillary room floors.
Wall grouting using a fine mud slurry was undertaken in sections of the Main Prayer hall walls by a team of specialized conservators led by wall painting conservator Sanjay Dhar to act as a basic preventive mechanism for the protection of the wall murals from water ingress on the painted side of the wall. The grout mix employed a specification of mud based grout using local clays and sand. The mix being employed is that of 2 Jalasa (local yellow clay): 1 Zassa (local red clay): 1 sand and 1 Markhala (white clay) in water.
Sequencing of Works: Understanding the unique seasonal working arrangement of Ladakh, it was decided that the conservation work would be divided into two phases; the first season’s work (April – September 2004) would include consolidation of the ancillary areas and staircase access to the main roof (as this would not only help as necessary enabling works to access the main terrace but also help establish the basic conservation methodology and techniques for restoration and most critically, allow a full year to evaluate the efficacy of the technique adopted and to test how the work holds up in a year’s time and during the critical winter snowfall before the temple proper was taken up for restoration).
Under the supervision of the site architect, masonry cracks along the west, north and east walls on the ancillary structure side were stitched using flexible taalu (willow) stitches at a vertical spacing of 2 feet. The mud plaster specifications used were similar to the one employed for the crack grouting, though with a lower water content.
Enabling works: Before undertaking the actual consolidation work of the main temple roof, critical enabling works in terms of buttressing and providing a protective cover would have to be accounted for. For this several schemes of protective covering over the roof were prepared by the conservation architects as well as by the structural consultant. In order to prevent any damage from rainfall etc., tarpaulin protective sheets had been procured and brought to site to act as enabling and protective measures for site work.
The team was acutely aware of the fact, that given the fragile condition of the temple, any work on the main roof had to be undertaken only when proper propping and buttressing was done. The team also felt that though the two side walls of the shrine were buttressed by the ancillary rooms, the front wall was very vulnerable. Instead of using a support system in modern materials that would be alien to the site context, the structural engineer Mr. Kamal Sabarwal designed as a temporary ‘reversible intervention’, a mud block and timber buttressing system to support the front wall during the site works. This also acting as much needed scaffolding for the works of the rabsaal and windows during the site works. Built of local unbaked mud blocks and poplar wood, this was erected by the local masons and finally dismantled at the end of the work season 2005.
A temporary rear staircase as part of enabling works for facilitating movement of material, labour etc. has been constructed for the duration of the project for easy access of material and labour etc from the road side. The staircase helped avoid a long and circuitous route for the movement of material and loads and also did not threaten to damage the main temple staircase due to material movement. The work was flagged off with the performing of the ceremonial puja attended by almost all the Basgo villagers, who also organized the function afterwards.
Procurement of material to this remote site was a big issue as the whereas the muds and clays (zassa, jalasa, markhala) could be sourced locally, the yagzas and umbu shrubs had to be collected from the neighbouring mountains and specially timber (deodar) had to be procured from Kashmir Valley before the road route closed for the winter in time for the next season and seasoned on site. The Basgo Village Community contributed with ‘in kind’ contributions in the form of willow and mud blocks as well as voluntary labour and the occasional hosted meals for the site staff.
Peer Review Mechanism: The site work as well as the conservation strategy adopted by the project team was placed for discussion and peer review in July 2004 when a trans national “UNESCO Himalayan Training Workshop on Conservation of Earth Structures” was organized at the site and conservation architects and practitioners from Nepal, India and Bhutan as well as international experts from UK, Norway and Italy attended a two week workshop on site and reviewed the team’s conservation strategy and methodology. The project team interacted with the workshop participants and freely shared their reports and the strategy and specifications employed. The project architect also presented a paper on the project at the World Monuments Fund international conference in Colombo and also sent mid term periodic evaluation reports to NIRLAC and World Monuments Fund.
WORK SEASON 2005 : FABRIC INSPECTION, ASSESSMENT OF THREATS, PROCURING MATERIAL, TRIAL SAMPLES & WORK IN ANCILLARY AREAS
For the Second Work Season of 2005, the first site inspection of the season in April was carried out by conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah and Structural Engineer Chetan Raikar in April to assess the condition of the structure after the last winter’s heavy snow fall. This visit also helped ascertain the structural scheme for propping and stake stock of the timber and bhoj patra brought in from Kashmir in the previous fall season of 2004 and was allowed to season on site over the winter months. The snow was cleared by villagers during the winter after each snowfall to prevent the slab from being over loaded. The mud brick masonry buttresses had held up well, and these were considered sound to be used during the forthcoming work season of May – September 2005. Mubashir ul Islam was appointed as the site architect for this season.
The work in this season involved the major part of the architectural and structural consolidation of the main temple structure and roof and involved Procuring, Stacking & Sorting of Wood ; Terracing with bhojpatra (birchbark), yagzas, umbu and various muds ; rafting timber Kajus (Capitals) and Mardung (Beams) to replace the 2 badly cracked and broken capitals and the one capital that had been earlier replaced with an inappropriate design in the 1970s; Erection of Propping System and structural support framework; Protective works for the Maitreya Idol and Interior and Exterior Protective Coverings;Carpentry works of Rabsaal Shutters and upper level skylight;Removal of Surface mud from the Terrace to expose the timber slats beneath; Careful stacking and sorting of original bhojpatra (birchbark) and original mud procured from terrace for reuse; Jacking up structural columns one by one for lifting kaju and replacing/correcting the structural member; Relaying of the Terracing & Restoring the Historic Mud Terracing in the traditional seven layered method with the base layer of bhojpatra; Restoration of Ancillary roof slabs; Correcting the site slopes and Provision of traditional Poplar Wood Drainage spouts ; Painting and finishing of upper Rabsaal roof umbu; Final removal of last season’s buttress wall and inner propping system; Final coat of markhala mud plaster
Propping, Procurement & Enabling Works: This involved the procurement of material like wood, yagzas,bhojpatra (birch bark), umbu twigs to site and mobilization of material, tools and local craftsmen from within the Basgo Village. Care was taken to protect the image of the Maitreya Buddha and the intricate wall paintings. The propping system was arranged and organised in a manner so that one could move easily from one bay to another within the temple with the props on and they could be simultaneously shifted to other bays. The entire terrace was provided with a removable rain cover to protect it from any rainfall during the time that the terrace planks had been opened up for repairs. The tarpaulin cover was spread across the terrace at the end of each work day and high density plastic sheet covering ( in blue) was provided for the rabsaal .
Structural Consolidation of the Timber columns and beams: In order to address the correction of the leaning column and also to address the broken timber column capitals it was necessary to jack the structural system temporarily to relieve the load from the column and undertake the correction. While this was a carefully calibrated exercise taken up in bays to address each column and beam quarter separately (carefully removing the damaged cracked kaju, raising the beam above it and replacing it with the new timber kaju), this required that the heavy load on the structural system be temporarily removed to undertake this critical process. The mud from the terrace had to be carefully removed in bays according to the grids followed below inside the temple for replacing the members. Before removing the entire mud terracing, a test patch (1.0 X 1.0 mt.) was removed. The thickness of various layers and their constituents were documented layer by layer to establish the accurate layering and sequence of the terrace material and construction. The original terrace over the main temple revealed the base layer of birch bark (bhojpatra) placed over the timber planking as a waterproofing layer. This was the first restoration project in the region that documented and found untouched terrace samples of nearly 600 years that showed the original birchbark construction. The ancillary roof terraces that had been repaired at some point in the past showed a layer of polythene. The terrace mud, although removed at a snail's pace, was isolated in a way so that vibrations of the tools used would not damage the wall paintings. The total thickness of the mud on the terrace was found to be around 300 – 400 mm. The First 160 mm were found to be added in recent years and alternatively changed during the course of history. The top most part mostly had mud which was clayey (Markhala) and as going down up to 150 – 200 m . Different types of materials in the form of Polythene sheeting (introduced in the top 100 mm layer of recent repairs) wooden twigs, charcoal pieces, aggregates (of varying sizes 0.50-5.0 Cms.) besides different layers of mud especially the nearby red (Jalasa) mud was found in particular. The next layer (120 mm) was found to be more compact, compressed and densely packed. This was carefully removed stacked separately and as we moved down up to the last point, a paper thin lining of the historic birch bark that had been laid over the painted timber planking. This had historically acted as a water proof membrane on the ceiling planks and stopped water from dripping down. This last layer of mud (120-150 mm) was put separately from the previous lot. This has also been referred to as the historic layer. Locally available grass (Yagzas) was also found in this layer near the birch bark. Now after the entire mud was removed to expose the painted timber planks, the planks were corrected and laid back in level. The terracing was removed in accordance with the bays from one grid to other and made the corrected bay ready for the relaying process.
Structural Consolidation: Correction of distressed timber column, beams and Kajus: After the crafting of replacement timber kajus and beams in the original design, in each bay, the beam (mardung) was jacked at the point slightly away from the centre and towards the kaju and the other connected beam was also jacked so that the kajus could be made free of the overhead weight. The kaju was slowly rotated around its dowel and made to come out with the two pieces coming individually after slight movements. After removing the Kaju, the dimensions of the dowel (of the column to which it was fixed) were measured and subsequently groove was made in the new kaju. The beam was tied with the rope, above from the terrace and pulled slowly and as such removed away. Moreover at this point again care was taken so that the wall paintings were not damaged. The grooves and dowels were made in the new timber beam (which had already been dressed) after taking dimensions from the older one. In the same manner, the new beam was introduced and as such replaced. After replacing the first beam, props were shifted to other bays and the members were replaced. This was the methodology adopted for each of the three bays.
The noticeable difference in the structural scheme applied for the 4 kajus was in the bay to address the leaning column that had been propped up by a side column in the past. In this case, after following the same sequence of propping, relieving the load from the column and beam, the column was carefully re-aligned. The column was tied with the ropes after it was made free of the load of the beams and the Kaju. Plumb bobs were dropped from the above; it was observed that the column had leaned up to 300 – 375 mm from its origin point. It was carefully moved at the base and erected in plumb, to restore the centre of gravity.
Restoring the Historic Mud Terracing: Procurement of Traditional Materials: After the structural members were corrected/replaced, the terracing work was started. Before actually started the terracing, Pre-Terracing measures were taken in the form of collection and separation (dressing) of materials. The Birch Bark procured last year was sorted and seasoned, the flashings were procured and cut into the sizes to be used over the line of the painted masonry walls as an additional defense against seepage staining of the painted murals and along the edge of the Skylight. The locally available grass (Yagzas) was procured and pre - wetted. Before starting the relaying process test patches with inputs from the conservation architect, the local community members and craftsmen were taken and one of the patches was found to be appropriate and was selected for the relaying process. Starting from down to up, the first layer comprised of Birch bark, then Yagzas and the 75 mm thick mud in the ratio of 3:1 (3 Parts of historic mud without sieved to one part of sand) with a sufficient amount of water and barley straw added. The water here was taken care of especially concerning the fact that the painted walls were exposed and the planks could get damaged. Near the walls and along the edges of the skylight, the flashings (4’) were spread and covered with Birch Bark, Yagzas and the mud. At points where the older mud was not removed, joints cutting at acute angles were made and groves were chiselled on the parapet walls. The joints and groves were made wet substantially. This layer was fully compacted and made to wet. The cracks were observed in this layer which were grouted with the grout prepared with the local mud’s (1 White (Markhala) and ½ Yellow (Zasa)). The cracks got filled and were fully compacted. After this layer, the next layer of same composition but without birch barks and grass was laid. The older mud layer was made wet with keys made in them. The same procedure as regards the joints and grooves was done. When the team had inspected the site in 2004, the drainage spouts were in PVC pipes. The restoration team was committed to the re-installation of the traditional timber spouts carved out of a trunk of poplar wood and these were inserted, after correcting the terrace drainage slopes.
Restoration of Wall Paintings
The project dealt with several issues that had to define a fine balance between community expectations and international conservation norms. The most significant issue related to that of the wall paintings. As these are living religious sites it was agreed that the paintings inside the temple could not be left incomplete in areas which had suffered maximum loss of principal figures of the deities. At the same time rather than commissioning completely new images it was agreed to only work at completing missing areas so that from the religious viewpoint the deities were complete. Traditional artists well versed in Buddhist iconography worked with the painting conservators in the final repainting and re-integration of missing areas and figures.
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