A heritage conservation and restoration project in Manipur, India.

1. CONSERVATION OF SHRI GOVINDJI TEMPLE.
Imphal, Manipur.
CULTURAL AND HERITAGE VALUE:
Terracotta brick vernacular architecture of Bengal and Manipur, bear testimony to the varied and ancient traditions of
terracotta that have flourished in India over five millennia. Eastern India has experienced a vast array of the art of
Terracotta in forms of temples & ornamentations that have withstood the test of time. With the vagaries of nature and
decay over ages, these temples are in need of immediate preservation and maintenance.
MATERIALS USED IN THE
COMPOSITE STRUCTURE :
The temple was built during the reign
of Maharaja Nara
Singha ( in 1846 AD ).
This composite structure was made
of :
• BRICK
• TERRACOTTA
• TEAK WOOD
Stone was rare in these areas.
Being composed of small units, use
of bricks gave higher flexibility and
greater constructional possibility in
these seismic prone regions.

2. WHY THE CONSERVATION WAS NEEDED ?
•The conservation revitalized a decaying landmark of terracota craftsmanship and terracota
brick architecture.
•It was a protective step towards the cultural resource of Manipur and its History.
•It promoted the Socio-religious values.
•The adaptive reconstruction / conservation helped to spread the traditional art of terracota
not only amongst the workers involved with the project but also amongst the general mass.
MAIN FACTORS BESIDE THE DETERIORATION of the temple:
Damage due to salt petere and
dampness in masonry structure.
VEGETAL GROWTH
Excessive rainfall caused
vegetal growth which led to
cracks and dislodge of
masonry.
THREE SUCCESIVE EARTHQUAKES
Conceptual
exploded view
of the temple
•Collapsing of main ceiling and
partial collapsing of sidewall.
•Settlement problem in
foundation part.
•Action of soluble salts like
chlorides, sulphides, nitrates
etc .

3. RECONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS
OF SHRI GOVINDJI TEMPLE
FRONT ELEVATION
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
SIDE (SOUTH) ELEVATION
ROOF PLAN
BACK (WEST SIDE) ELEVATION
• The plan of the temple is Rectangular.
• It stands on a raised Jagati (platform).
• The Bhitti is also raised straight up to
the cornice.
• The ceiling was made of terracotta.
• Rafters made of teak wood supported
the roof above the corridor
(Pradakshina).
SECTION THROUGH XX’

4. MAIN DAMAGES FACED BY THE STRUCTURE
COLLAPSED BARREL VAULTED ROOF
The roof collapsed after three
successive earthquakes exposing the
structure to further weathering hazard.
INNER VIEW
Pic: Picture showing the
Main vaulted ceiling
before it collapsed .
(Taken from old records
at site)
Pic: Shri Govindji Temple
after the vaulted ceiling
collapsed.
Pic: The side wall had
fallen partially owing to the
damaged caused by neglect
as well as earthquake.
THE CONSERVATION PROCESS
Inspired from the weaving
pattern of traditional
bamboo basket, the entire
form of the vault was
reconstructed with a
grid of bamboo.
Original roof was 40” thick throughout till
the top. The new roof starts from 15” at
the base and 6” at the top, reducing
the load by 200 mt.
Bamboo grid and
sparingly used
steel have been
camouflaged by a
layer of lime Surkhi.

5. DAMPNESS AND DAMAGED FLOORING
Rising dampness on
walls and floors led
to further cracks and
damage.
Repaired
flooring
Damaged
flooring
TERRACOTTA’S WATER INFILTRATION
TENDENCY AND FREEZE-THAW EFFECT
Due to this tendency water get
absorbed easily in the
terracota work.
Apart from that the extreme
micro-climate of the site i.e.
extreme cold and hot
atmosphere leads the masonry
towards breakage.
VEGETATION GROWTH AND CRACKS
Cracks and crevices
developed due to
earthquake and was
further weakened
by vegetation growth.
Vegetal growth was
cleared from the
superstructure and the
walls were restored.
Granite slab was
inserted at plinth
level to prevent
the rising
dampness
through capillary
action
Synthetic resins like silicon and
epoxies were used as sealants to
prevent further damage to the brick
masonry from water infiltration and
freeze-thaw damage.
The glass “tell-tale”
signs were put up
over the existing
cracks to study
the threat of
further deterioration
and were found
broken after 6
months.
Cracked
structure
was carefully
dismantled, The
foundation reset
and the super
structure remade.

6. WOODEN BEAMS AND RAFTERS
THE CONSERVATION PROCESS
The wooden rafters were
restored. Completely
damaged or missing
rafters were replaced.
Wooden beams
and rafters
were in a
state of decay
MISSING BALUSTERS AND BROKEN PARAPET
Wooden beams
and rafters were
in a state of
decay.
The wooden rafters
were restored.
Completely
damaged or
missing rafters were
replaced.
CONSERVATION STEPS TAKEN :
BROKEN STAIRCASE AND DAMAGED DOORS
OTHER
Steps and doors which are
completely damaged have
been reconstructed
as per the photographs
taken from old records at site.
16 types of bricks were found to
be used in the construction of
Shri Govindji Temple. Old bricks
were dug out from the debris of
the monument, sorted out and
aired and dried. Brick bats were
kept separately for crushing.
A continuous band of corbelled masonry
buttresses have been provided to
strengthen the foundation against the
lateral seismic force.
An additional plinth protection band of
stone was provided around the structure
at the ground level.

7. Fact File:
Location - Manipur
Client – Govt. of Manipur
Built up area – 400 Sq. Metres
Year of Completion - 10th march , 2010
Cost of the project – 4 Crores
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Rediscovery of the Kangla fort in the present day context
To redefine Kangla fort as an ‘Archaeological Park’ through the cultural resource database
To safeguard and protect the diverse cultural resources of the Kangla fort within existing legal
framework
To preserve, protect, restore and reuse the buildings within the fort.
To interpret the archaeological park’s cultural and natural resources for the benefit of the people i.e., to
promote its values
To provide opportunities for learning, research, education and interpretation in the Kangla Archaeological
Park.
To provide effective management frame work for visitor use, safety and enjoyment of Kangla’s cultural
and natural resources without change in cultural values.
PROJECT METHODOLOGY
The Kangla fort is a complex cultural entity as is evident by the nature of the cultural resources existing in
the fort. The primary task in the project was the preliminary survey.
The information management primarily involved two kinds of studies viz. the contextual and the parametric
studies.
Contextual study involved:
Study of Imphal by the survey team.
A comprehensive natural and cultural resource inventory of the fort. The building inventory also
involved condition assessment to enable estimates and project identification.
Sketches of the various temples and other buildings were produced for restoration, renovation etc.
Study of the local vernacular architecture.

8. The analysis of the Cultural Resources Database helped in arriving at the various
proposals for the Archaeological Park. The cultural resources were respectively mapped
onto the base map of Kangla and the analysis of the database helped in working out the
concept plan for the Archaeological project.
The applicable acts and the master plan were critically studied and analyzed. This led to
reworking the legalities for the proposed Kangla fort Archaeological Park within the
existing framework. Apart from these studies, the other main sources of information
regarding Kangla fort were gained through secondary sources, including books and old
maps. The methodology adopted follows a logical and intense thought process to
effectively guide the management process.
The people of Manipur associate with the fort with a great deal of significance. It
represents their history, culture and integrity. They wanted the fort to be reinstated to its
former glory, and the use of it as a public park for the benefit of the citizens of Imphal.
The location of Kangla fort and its spatial quality further justified this need. Located in
the heart of the city, it would provide the most needed ‘lung-space’ for the citizens.
Today, the Kangla fort has a mixture of unique cultural resources, which include the
Manipuri and the British layers. The cultural resources are diverse ranging from
Archaeological, Architectural, Natural and Sacred. The fort is filled with sacred ponds,
trees and significant open spaces. The variety of natural and cultural resources in the
fort makes it a significant green open space in the city; this diversity gives it its unique
character, making Kangla one of the most important forts in the entire northeastern
region. It is a potential World Heritage Site.