This exhibition in Mumbai explores the architecture and heritage of Konkan temples

A rough cut model of the age-old temple in Karnataka’s Aversa

Architecture often expresses cultural nuances through its seemingly ordinary brick and mortar structures. Following a similar vein of thought, and digging into the ancient heritage of temple design, the Indian Education Society's College of Architecture (IESCOA) is organising Deulkathan - an exhibition exploring the heritage of temple architecture in the Konkan region at the Bombay Art Society starting from December 5.

Students work on models of the temples leading up to the exhibition

"The exhibition is a culmination of work done by the students of our college over the past eight years. These involve drawings and models where the narratives of temples, such as the Deulwada Temple complex in Malvan, Shri Vijaydurga Temple in Keri among others, are outlined graphically for people. The exhibition will also include talks every evening where community leaders and experts in conservation, temple design, and temple management will offer insights into the subject," Shilpa Bakshi Chandawarkar, professor and head coordinator of the event explains.

Students document the architecture of a structure in the temple complex

A work-in-progress for eight years, Deulkathan is a labour of love for the academic community. "We have been documenting one temple every year. A team of first-year students spent over a week living in these temple precincts and creating measured drawings of the built form, as well as undertaking an ethnographic study of the community. The exhibition was also strengthened by contribution from every batch of students who graduated from the course. We also have a team designing graphic models to explain the ecology, geography, community and story of each temple and refurbishing older models."

The Shree Katyayani Baneshwar temple in Aversa

Sociologically, temples stand at an intersection of history, ecology and culture, making their study a significant step towards understanding the story of a civilisation. Katyayani Agarwal, the convenor of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and one of the speakers at the event explains, "Architecture serves as a link between the tangible past and present. In this day and age, it is difficult to predict what might happen to these heritage sites. This is why we wanted to tell the world about these temples, and work towards preserving them."

Shilpa Bakshi Chandawarkar and Katyayani Agarwal

But why temples of the Konkan region, we ask? "India is geographically and culturally diverse, and being a Maharashtra-based institution, Konkan seemed like the perfect place to start. The vernacular construction technology and materials of the region align with our courses and the scale of these temples is optimal, as are the towns in which they exist. We also chose temples that have not been previously documented in order to create a repository of this architectural heritage," Chandawarkar signs off.

ON December 5; 4 pm to 7 pm (inauguration); December 6 to 8, 11 am to
7 pm (exhibition) AT Bombay Art Society, KC Marg, Bandra West.