-Hi behl. the name sounds rather familiar. was he the guy who photographed and for a long time held the copyright to the pictures of the upper chambers of the big temple? the copyright rose because no one else was allowed to photograph it after him. venketesh
Dear SPS I know B Bhel has held rights for the pictures and hadnt released them even to ASI..I think thats what Gokul said when I approached him to use his pictures in
www.thebigtemple.com
site..He responded I guess I didnt follow it through...
But the series itself is a good series and I am actaullay looking forward to his pieces on the Chola temple..
But is he right in those statements about Dravidian Gopura...Mammallas statue etc??
Mails from Venkat - Sridhar are related to taking photography of certain protected monuments - particularly the Thanjai Big temple, paintings on the First floor of the temple, which was supposedly held by Behl.
To clarify ::
The Peruvudayar (Massive Lingam) is positioned at the Ground level inside the sanctum.
Above this, existed an opening, which is approachable from the present top level - using ladder. There is a vestible, called SAANDHAARAM. A group of persons can go through this and see the paintings inside both these walls. These were originally paintings by Sarafoji Kings (200 / 300 yrs back). Underneath the layer, there were Chozha paintings (1000 yrs baqck), which were found by one Dr. Govindasamy of Annamalai University... 60 / 70 years back.
ASI painstakingly removed the layers and exposed the Chozha paintings. Our Group has discussed vbarious aspects of these paintings in detail several occasions earlier and also in our Second Yaathirai to Big temple.
Frontline - about six months back - published a very detailed article on this.
DR. Sathiyamurthy, as ASI Suptt, (Founder REACH) has arranged photography of these paintings and exhibited them in a Museum within the temple complex, behind Varahi temple, on the southern side.
Sriraman (our Group member) has photographed and organised this.
Before photographing these, when we approached ASI, we were told that Behl had the rights as he was assigned this work on behalf of Indira Gandhi Institute, Delhi.
Dr. Sathiyamurthy got special permission from ASI Delhi and exhibited this for viewing by all the visitors and Frontline made this public also.
Prior to that we were hesitating even to post a photo of the painting in our Photo section because of copy right issue.