"This will be an ideal building to showcase use of green energy
The Vivekananda Kendra, which has been working on
“Green and Clean Rameswaram” project, giving fresh lease of life to
‘theerthams’ (venerated water bodies) in around the island, has
renovated the 200-year-old Mohabeer Dharmasala, preserving the
antiquity.
The massive structure built by a Maharashtra-based
businessman, near the Railway Station, was vandalised and presented a
picture of neglect after it remained shut for nearly 12 years, when the
Kendra took up its renovation by engaging Puducherry-based conservation
architect Asaithambi Gurusamy.
The Dharmasala, in which Maa Sarada Devi, the
spiritual consort of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, had stayed, wore a new
look now with fresh coat of paint and all set for inauguration during
the middle of this month. It was renovated at a cost of Rs. 1.37 crore.
“We have renovated the whole structure using lime
mortar, one of the oldest types of mortars and Madras terrace roofing,
the traditional flooring technique practiced in south India to preserve
the antiquity,” Mr. Gurusamy told The Hindu on Friday when Collector S.
Natarajan inspected the renovation work.
When the 8,500 sq ft ground and first floor structure
was shut for about 12 years, it was vandalised and the wood and rafters
were stolen, he said. “Nearly 50 per cent of the roofing was not there
and we renovated the roofing with its originality,” he said.
The original building had 11 rooms at the ground
floor and three in the first floor, mainly for the business community to
stay after offering worship at the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple and they
have converted the ground floor into an open air auditorium.
The auditorium would be used to showcase the folklore
of Rameswaram, its unique culture and landscape of the island through
drama, short film and puppet shows, Mr. Gurusamy said. The auditorium
could accommodate about 70 pilgrims and the shows would be organised
daily, he said.
The important aspects of the renovation were
installation of solar power to meet the entire power requirement and
decentralised waste water system, he said adding “this will be an ideal
building to showcase use of green energy.”
The Kendra was implementing ‘Green and Clean
Rameswaram project’ under the Natural Resources Development Project
(NARDEP) and the structure was renovated under the project, V.
Saraswathi, Project coordinator, said.
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