THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The century-old mud structures at the Kumaran Asan memorial in Thonnakkal have received a much-needed facelift, with the archaeology department completing the painstaking restoration using traditional materials and techniques.
One of the two traditional buildings served as the legendary poet’s ezhuthupura (writing house), where he wrote some of his major works, including Duravastha, Chandalabhikshuki and Karuna. The other was his residence.
Over the years, portions of the mud walls had deteriorated due to prolonged exposure to rain and sunlight. The thatched roof and wooden roof structures had also decayed. The department restored the structures while retaining their original character.
A senior official told TNIE that the conservation was undertaken with the objective of preserving the structures in their original form rather than giving them a modern makeover. Mud and lime were used to repair the walls, while the thatched roof was restored using traditional techniques. The original cow-dung flooring was also restored.
The official said the conservation of the structures was particularly challenging as they were built entirely of mud, without conventional bricks or sun-dried mud bricks. The irregular dimensions of the walls also required detailed documentation before the restoration work was undertaken.
The six-month project was completed in August at a cost of less than Rs 12 lakh. Traditional workers were brought in from Anchuthengu for the roofing work, while deteriorated portions of the mud walls were rebuilt using compatible materials.
The conservation is part of the department’s broader approach of protecting not only grand monuments but also ordinary structures that offer a glimpse into the social and cultural history of a period. The memorial was declared a protected monument in 2021-22.
“When people think about archaeological monuments, they generally imagine large forts, palaces and monumental structures associated with kings and rulers. But the structures used by ordinary people – including those belonging to the middle and lower-middle classes and farming communities – are equally important in understanding our social history. Most of these were simple structures that were never intended to survive for centuries, and consequently very few have been preserved,” the official said.
The memorial continues to attract around 700 visitors from across Keralam and other states every month, said V Jayaprakash, secretary of the Kumaran Asan National Institute of Culture.
The institution is now set for an expansion. The state government has sanctioned Rs 11.60 crore for a new three-storey library building and other facilities. The proposed project includes an air-conditioned hall, accommodation for seven to eight people and facilities for researchers.
“The library currently houses around 22,000 books. The old library and office buildings had to be demolished as part of road development. We had set up temporary reading facilities at the mural museum. The new building will have more facilities,” Jayaprakash said.