Gaekwad family to revive 90-year-old Kirti Mandir
Perched near the Vishwamitri river, the monument has developed cracks in its roof and central dome, leading to water seepage that may threatens priceless frescoes by legendary artist Nandlal Bose.
Concerned about its deteriorating condition, the royal Gaekwad family has decided to restore the heritage structure, built in 1936. "After the floods last year, we noticed water seeping in through the central dome and parts of the terrace.
Cracks have developed that need urgent attention, especially since this is a heritage site," said Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, scion of the royal family.
"We have engaged heritage experts to assess the damage. Restoration of such structures must be carried out with extreme care to avoid further deterioration. Once the assessment is complete, the repair work will begin," Gaekwad told TOI.
Commissioned by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad to commemorate the diamond jubilee of his reign, Kirti Mandir is built in the Indo-Saracenic style.
Shaped like the letter E, it features a 35-metre-tall intricately carved 'Shikhar' (central dome) symbolizing the sun, moon, and earth, along with an undivided map of India.
"The central dome is built using stone in the traditional jack arch style. The main issue is water leakage, which has displaced mortar at several points, leading to corrosion in some of the supporting beams," said Jaswant Arlekar, a structural engineer and expert in heritage restoration.
"We plan to recreate the mortar mix and patch the cracks. The restoration work will begin after the monsoon. Fortunately, most of the sandstone structure remains in good condition," Arlekar added.
Kirti Mandir also houses the urns of deceased members of the Gaekwad royal family, preserved in separate rooms. The structure remains closed to the public except during the annual Diwali rangoli exhibition.
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Nandlal Bose's timeless frescoes adorn Kirti Mandir's walls
Padma Vibhushan Nandlal Bose, who beautifully decorated each page of the original handwritten Constitution of India, created frescoes on the walls of the main hall in Kirti Mandir in the 1940s. The paintings depict Kurukshetra battle scenes in the Mahabharat, the life of Mirabai, and the Buddhist story of King Bimbisara. Born in 1882, Bose, who was the principal of Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, was known for his Indian style of paintings.
His works were influenced by the murals of the Ajanta Caves. These paintings were restored by the royal family in 2018 with the help of INTACH.
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