Kolkata’s 200-year-old Kalighat temple is being restored to its golden glory by architect Kalyan Chakraborty
In the first of its kind modern-era renovation since 1805, conservation architect Kalyan Chakraborty fields artist Tamal Bhattacharya for enhancing the terracotta artwork and illustrated tile pattern inside the temple complex.
The Kalighat temple exhibits a unique ‘Aatchala’ style architecture known as the ‘arch and vault’, meaning it has the quintessential arched or chala roofs as well square bases or vault architecture. Rather than changing any fundamentals, the objective has been to highlight its existing ethos.
Tamal Bhattacharya shares an emotional bonding with the temple as it has been a pilgrimage site to his family for generations, he spent a great deal of time inspecting the temple with Chakraborty, identifying the areas that needed to be changed. Their objective was to try and preserve as much of the temple’s original look as possible, and incorporate new designs into its existing framework.
Bhattacharya and his team were ignorant of the intricate terracotta work under the aatchala, which had been hidden by the structure, he chanced upon the delicate designs comprising birds and flowers which had to remain intact post-renovation.
As per Bhattacharya, “Though many of the terracotta pieces have been damaged by the ravages of time, replicas of these terracotta works are nearly scarce to be found in the present. So, we decided to make the same motif ourselves, they were recreated with care in his own Studio Calyx, in Baruipur.
Besides that the studio is also engaged to reproduce the illustrated tiles within the complex. When the temple was initially set up, it had plain walls. The tiles came later, in order to avoid the dampening of walls.
There are about 25 different types of tiles across the complex, which were added much later to protect the walls, they will recreate a uniform look, by sticker-transfer and glazing.
Students from Bishnupur, which is known for its own terracotta temples, have been roped in to adorn it with terracotta artwork.
Apart from design, the temple will also have some scientific changes, which will improve ventilation. Attention to detail is of such magnitude that even the drainage of water from belpatras has been kept in mind.
The process of the restoration has enriched their knowledge and experiences along with the priceless gratification which is realised after the accomplishment of a very few projects.
Images by Amit Datta | My Kolkata
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