ARPO wins Unesco Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation
The restoration of Karnikara Mandapam at the Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple in Kozhikode, facilitated by ARPO has won the 2023 Unesco Asia Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The restoration of Karnikara Mandapam at the Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple in Kozhikode, facilitated by ARPO has won the 2023 Unesco Asia Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. It won two awards: An Award of Distinction and an Award for Sustainable Development. (Read the announcement).
At ARPO, architectural heritage conservation is a vital focus area—one through which we strive to preserve traditional craftsmanship, indigenous knowledge systems, and the living cultural practices interwoven with built heritage.
A shining example of this commitment is the restoration of the Karnikara Mandapam at the Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple in Kozhikode, Kerala. This semi-open structure, aligned with the temple’s sanctum and representing the heart of a sixteen-petaled lotus, had fallen into serious disrepair after years of neglect. The wooden elements had decayed, the original finial was lost, and the structure was plagued by seepage and termite infestation.
Commissioned by Mr. Vivek Sahni and supported in part by a community-driven crowdfunding effort, the project was as much about architectural restoration as it was about cultural revival. The Mandapam hosts sacred rituals like Rudhira Kolam and Kalamezhuthu, performed during the temple’s seven-day annual festival.
Guided by the principles of Vastushastra, the project carefully integrated Jirnoddhaarana (restoration) and Punarudharana (regeneration). Original stone and laterite features were retained, while decayed timber elements were replaced using traditional materials. Craftspersons employed age-old techniques, natural stone polishes, lime plaster (kummaya koottu), and oils from Vriksha Ayurveda, restoring not just the structure but its spirit.
This project also won the Golden Leaf Award from IIA–Kerala Chapter, and an Honourable Mention at the International Domus Awards—testament to what collective vision and respect for heritage can achieve.
