UNESCO Award-winning restoration of Thukkachi temple in Tamil Nadu: a blend of traditional wisdom and modern technology

Published 14 July 2026 · tech

The oft-used phrase “rising like a phoenix from the ashes” finds its perfect expression in the story of the Abathsahayeswarar Temple at Thukkachi, near Kumbakonam

The oft-used phrase “rising like a phoenix from the ashes” finds its perfect expression in the story of the Abathsahayeswarar Temple at Thukkachi, near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district. This 12th-century shrine, a remarkable testament to the architectural brilliance of the later Cholas, presented a pitiable sight barely five years ago. Its outer prakara wall had collapsed, the towering entrance gopuram had partially collapsed and was engulfed by vegetation, and decades of neglect had reduced the monument to a state of dereliction. The Kali shrine and its mahamandapam within the temple complex was crumbling and was declared out of bounds because of the danger posed by falling granite blocks. Anyone who had seen the temple in that condition would scarcely believe their eyes on visiting it today. A painstaking conservation effort, combining cutting-edge technology with traditional building knowledge and generous public philanthropy, has restored the monument to its former glory. Today, the temple appears as though it had been built only yesterday. In recognition of this exemplary conservation effort, UNESCO conferred on it the Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction (2024) for preserving its heritage while restoring its structural integrity. “The entire project was funded by Coimbatore-based philanthropist T. Vasanthakumar of Karpagam University (deemed university) at a cost of ₹5 crore. Technical support was provided by IIT Madras,” said T. Umadevi, Deputy Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.

The transformation is all the more remarkable considering the years of apathy and indifference that allowed one of the most significant monuments of the later Chola period—closely associated with Kulotunga I and Vikrama Chola—to deteriorate so badly. Late historian S.R. Balasubramanyam had earlier lamented its condition, describing it as “a magnificent but much-neglected temple”. He had observed that the shrine occupied “a place of great significance in the evolution of Chola art and architecture during the later Chola period”. Designed as a Kara Kovil—a temple conceived in the form of a chariot—it occupies a unique place in Tamil architectural history. The temple also houses idol of Lord Sarabeshwarar which is considered one of the oldest depictions of the deity. “Apart from that, its importance lies in the fact that it is perhaps the only major temple built during the reign of Vikrama Chola,” he wrote in his book Later Chola Temples. According to Kudavasal Balasubramanian, who penned a monograph on the temples, the inscriptions refer to Thukkachi as Thenthirukalathi or Vikramacholeeswaram. “The history of Thukkachi is, in many ways, the history of Vikrama Chola. He renovated the earlier Thenkallathi temple and named it Vikramacholeeswaram,” he explained. His father, Kulotunga I, had endowed the temple for the recitation of Thevaram hymns. The HR&CE Department undertook the restoration as a pilot project to develop a model for conserving living historic temples in Tamil Nadu.