Mr.Sriraman of ASI who is an elite member of the group told me some thing very very very very important about the difference between ajanta and saantaram paintings of thanjavore
AJANTHA IS MURAL
BUT BIG TEMPLE PAINTINGS OF CHOLA ARE FRESCOES !!!!
NO WHERE ELSE IN INDIA DO WE HAVE FRESCOES OF THIS SIZE OF THAT AGE
Difference between mural and fresco is that mural is painted OVER THE SURFACE whereas frescoes are DONE INTO THE PAINTED SURFACE.
In Frescoe paintings, the binders layers are made first on the walls, follwed by the application of pigments and colouring agents, Where as in TEMPORAs bothn colouring agents and binders are mixed uniformely and applied as paintings.