There are some interesting things re the Big Temple Fesco.
FIRST AND FOREMOST -
On April 9, 1931, Govindaswami, 28 year old, 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 âbaby petromaxâ was not Chola paintings but the 17th century Nayak paintings ....
He touched or scraped the peeling flakes. They fell down and through the cleared portions he found what he excitedly described as âa fine series of frescoes palpitating with the life of other days.
MEANS - BY SHEER LUCK - OR MORE APPORPORIATELY - Since Nayak period Artisans could not match ancient Chola Painters - some Portions got PEELED OFF and FELL DOWN !!
Imagine they NOT GETTING PEELED OFF...
Or Govindasamy not Scholarly enough to find this difference in the DARKER CORRIDORS .. (Some of us have seen this narrow corridors 2 - 3 times during our Thanjai Trip in group !)