A nice article on the discovery of Chola Frescos (discovery made in 1931).... We were lucky to have seen the same nataraja painting now digitally remastered (With the efforts of Mr. Gokul) during our PSVP festival last Aug. It was presented by Mr Sriraman...
The article from hindu......
The discovery of Chola frescoes in 1931 “extended the frontiers of the history of Indian painting,” set the scholarly world abuzz, and expedited conservation efforts at the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur.
The 1000-year-old frescoes, painted at Rajarajesvaram, or the Big Temple as it is popularly known, remained unknown and hidden for centuries. The man who brought them back to life was a 28-year-old historian, S.K. Govindaswami.
On April 9, 1931, Govindaswami, a lecturer with the Department of History of Annamalai University, was examining the seven-feet-wide dark passage around the sanctum of the temple. What he found with the help of his ‘baby petromax’ was not Chola paintings but the 17th century Nayak paintings. He was disappointed and almost gave up hope of finding something from the Chola period. As he walked the remaining part of the passage, the cracked painted plasters on the western wall drew his attention. He touched or scraped the peeling flakes. They fell down and through the cleared portions he found what he excitedly described as “a fine series of frescoes palpitating with the life of other days.
Fortunately I was also there when The Hindu Team visited the Big Temple during the recent Thanjai ASI conference ..
Frontline TN Subramanian - who was honoured by our Group in August meet - along with a Sub-Editor and other Team from the Team were camping.. Dr. Nagaswamy was also there. ASI Suptt Sathyabama Badrinath was also there in the premises ..
Swami Dhayanadha's World Peace Team was also there ..
The Big Temple was so crowded with personalities from several walks of life... from various nations too.
I was reminded of ::
GOKUL's Lecture on the Big Temple Fresco in ASI Complex - Thanjavur about 4 - 5 years back under the auspicious of Dr. Kalaikkovan... (as Ganesh kumar rightly put)...
Prior to that, I was crossing a person with TRIPOD and a Camera. Another Gentleman was with them. Later on I was introduced them by ASI Dr. Rajavelu & Dr. Thyaga Sathyamoorthy that the Camera person was Thyagarajan and the other one Sriram (Museum).
FrontLine Subramanian & Sriram already teamed and brought out the Front Line issue re Thanjavur Big Temple Frescos...
Dr.Sathyamoorthy ( REACH fOUNDER ) Sriram and Thyagarajan BROUGHT OUT ALMOST THE LIFE SIZE FRESCOs in the form of PHOTOS in the South West corridors of the temple - opp to Dakshinamurthy - to the common eyes of every visitor - about 3 - 4 years back !!