‘Alipiri Padala Mandapam' a 300-yr-old heritage structure to get a makeover

Tirupati
: The Alipiri Padala Mandapam, a heritage structure at the foot of Tirumala hills and the first spot to be visited by the trekkers, is all set for conservation and restoration. The structure, managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), pertains to the Vijayanagara period and as such has suffered damage over passage of time.
In tune with the request by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Director (Epigraphs) K Muniratnam Reddy, a team of engineers specialising in the field of conservation and preservation of ancient temples inspected the structure in Tirupati. Pune-based Lord Venkateswara Charitable and Religious Trust, which has agreed to meet the cost of restoration, also deputed its representatives along with the engineers. "Our team studied the methods to be adopted to strengthen the existing Mandapam in order to keep it stable for the next 300 years, without the need for any further intervention", Mr. Muniratnam Reddy said.
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