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Protecting a historical monument

— Photo: C. Ratheesh kumar

On a comeback trail: Sreepadam Palace, Thiruvananthapuram.

During the ceremony in which the Sreepadam Palace — now a protected monument — was dedicated to the nation Minister for Culture M.A. Baby asked the audience to turn round and look at a cable that had been drawn through the roof of the building. The Minister pointed out that in other countries a person who did that would have been punished. Mr. Baby also lamented that “we people” have an irresponsible attitude towards historical monuments; the thinki ng is that anything can be done in the name of development.

This left at least some people wondering how the building would fare in the hands of the Department of Archaeology that would henceforth have its head office in the Sreepadam Palace. Is not a government office as bad a thing to have in a protected monument as, say, a hotel? After all one look at most government offices is all it takes for most people to become convinced that cleanliness does not find a place in the government’s lexicon.

Director Archaeology S. Hemachandran has a different take on the issue. He told The Hindu that his department would function in such a manner that the palace is not damaged in any way. “We will set an example how to really protect a historical monument. It will take some more time, but once we are finished with our conservation measures at the Sreepadam Palace, anyone can come and see how the monument is faring,” he explained.

As part of these conservation measures the department has decided not to have any plumbing on the first floor of the palace. No switches or other such fittings would be installed afresh, though the department officials are using the existing lights and fans. The cable that the Minister referred to during the dedication ceremony was laid by the Electricity Board when the palace was being used as a post office.

All such things that do not befit a protected monument would be removed in due course, Dr. Hemachandran added.

G.Mahadevan

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