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Rameshwaram cleanup drive makes quiet
and steady progress

ET Bureau Jul 12, 2014, 10.59AM IST

CHENNAI: Ganga has Modi & team, but it's the

NGO drive that is doing the cleanup act for
South's temple town Rameshwaram. Even
before the Centre embarked on an ambitious
programme to clean up the Ganga, temple
town Rameshwaram in the south had decided
that it needed a clean break from its polluting
ways on its own.

(https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/38247139.cms?
utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst)

O r i gin al Ar ti cl e P u b l i s h e d In E con o
(h t tp s :/ /e con om i cti m e s .in d iati m e s .com /ar t icl
u t m _ s ou r ce =con t e n tofi n te r e s t& u tm _ m e di u m =te x
Located on Tamil Nadu's southern coastline,
Rameshwaram is one of the holiest places for
Hindus and receives about 1.5 crore pilgrims
and tourists every year, resulting in the
degeneration of the environment and
ecological balance around the area. But earlier
this year a group led by non-governmental
organisation Vivekananda Kendra began work
to clean and transform Rameswaram through
what it calls the "Green Rameshwaram Project".
The plan was set rolling in January by former
president APJ Abdul Kalam.

"It all started with cleaning the water bodies (or

'theerthams' as they are called) in and around
the famous Ramanatha Swamy temple. They
were almost ruined and we revived those," said
G Vasudeo, secretary of Vivekananda Kendra's
Natural Resources Development Project.

200 Years Old Mohabeer Dharmasala

restored to its green glory

“This will be an ideal building to showcase

use of green energy”

The Vivekananda Kendra, which has been

working on “Green and Clean Rameswaram”
project, giving fresh lease of life to ‘theerthams’
(venerated water bodies) in around the island,
has renovated the 200-year-old Mohabeer
Dharmasala, preserving the antiquity.

The massive structure built by a Maharashtra-

based businessman, near the Railway Station,
was vandalised and presented a picture of
neglect after it remained shut for nearly 12
years, when the Kendra took up its renovation
by engaging Puducherry-based conservation
architect Asaithambi Gurusamy.

Sporting a New look: Collector S. Natarajan

visiting the 200-year-old Mohabeer Dharmasala,
renovated by Vivekananda Kendra in
Rameswaram on Friday. — Photo: L. Balachandar

The Dharmasala, in which Maa Sarada Devi, the

spiritual consort of Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa, had stayed, wore a new look
now with fresh coat of paint and all set for
inauguration during the middle of this month.
It was renovated at a cost of Rs. 1.37 crore.

“We have renovated the whole structure using

lime mortar, one of the oldest types of mortars
and Madras terrace roofing, the traditional
flooring technique practiced in south India to
preserve the antiquity,” Mr. Gurusamy told The
Hindu on Friday when Collector S. Natarajan
inspected the renovation work.

When the 8,500 sq ft ground and first floor

structure was shut for about 12 years, it was
vandalised and the wood and rafters were
stolen, he said. “Nearly 50 per cent of the
roofing was not there and we renovated the
roofing with its originality,” he said.

The original building had 11 rooms at the

ground floor and three in the first floor, mainly
for the business community to stay after
offering worship at the Sri Ramanathaswamy
temple and they have converted the ground
floor into an open air auditorium.

The auditorium would be used to showcase the

folklore of Rameswaram, its unique culture and
landscape of the island through drama, short
film and puppet shows, Mr. Gurusamy said.
The auditorium could accommodate about 70
pilgrims and the shows would be organised
daily, he said.

The important aspects of the renovation were

installation of solar power to meet the entire
power requirement and decentralised waste
water system, he said adding “this will be an
ideal building to showcase use of green
energy.”

The Kendra was implementing ‘Green and

Clean Rameswaram project’ under the Natural
Resources Development Project (NARDEP) and
the structure was renovated under the project,
V. Saraswathi, Project coordinator, said.

Published In The Hindu - 2nd July

(https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/200-
year-old-Mohabeer-Dharmasala-restored-to-its-green-
glory/article14466771.ece)
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