Conservation guidelines for deul temples of terracotta in West Bengal

Abstract

Clay-based building materials possess many desirable qualities including strength, durability and fire resistance. Thus terracotta i.e. “baked clay” is seen as one of the important building material of past and present which can be understood through astudy on multidimensional aspects of terracotta.In areas where raw materials are easily available, terracotta elements can be made relatively cheaply. They are easily molded and formed into desired shape, and harden on drying and made more durable being heated sufficiently, so that some of the constituent minerals melt and recrystallized.In Bengal1 since 8thc AD due to the unavailability of stone in this region and plenty of alluvial Gangetic plain, terracotta has been seen as one of the most important construction material. Among other structures, traditional historic terracotta temples, from 10th century AD to late 19th century, are still largely survived in West Bengal and are recognized as a significant architectural expression locally, nationally and internationally. These significant terracotta temple structures, some of which are decaying and in dilapidated condition, need to be conserve for future generations as unique cultural identities and also provide opportunities to study terracotta as a building material and their method of construction, in order to formulate guideline for their conservation. To analyze causes and process of decay of the terracotta as well as the structure, three terracotta temple structures of Deul styles have been identified as the representative structure for documentation, on the basis of initial architectural styles of different periods and regions of West Bengal. On the basis of visual observations and structural analysis, the investigation of the structures carried on. The proposed guideline reflecting the remedies to arrest the further decay of the structure as well as the repair of the existing loss on the basis of all structural and non-structural components or aesthetic part of the structures. Through this guideline, policy level change will lead to enhance awareness of the people, who are the passive actor of decay to their unique assets and also economic opportunities for the artisans associated with this technology, which will further lead to the scope of continuation of this traditional knowledge in contemporary context.