UNESCO award for Koothambalam at Guruvayur Temple

Guruvayur: The renovated Koothambalam of the Sri Krishna Temple at Guruvayur in Kerala’s Thrissur district has won the Asia-Pacific Award of UNESCO. Koothambalam is the area of a temple where ritualistic art forms are staged.

The Koothambalam at Guruvayur temple was renovated utilizing the most modern construction techniques, but has retained the traditional architecture. An amount of around Rs 1 crore was spent for the work.

The copper leaves on the roof and woodwork in the interiors were earlier coated with enamel paint. This was removed and a fresh coat of eco-friendly paint given. In addition, maintenance was carried out on the granite sections of the Koothambalam as well as on the flooring. The woodwork on the structure too was repaired. Another improvement was related to the lighting arrangements, which were refurbished scientifically.