Source: The Hindu
THANJAVUR, INDIA, December 1, 2002: People in Thanjavur affectionately call him “Maharaja,” but S. Babaji Rajah Bhonsle Chattrapathy, Senior Prince of Thanjavur, is a civil engineer with a keen interest in preserving heritage structures. He is the hereditary trustee of the Thanjavur Palace Devasthanam, which comprises 88 temples, including the Brihadeeswara Temple. Chattrapathy is also the sixth descendant of the Thanjavur Maharaj King Raja Serfoji II, who lived in the 1800’s. Speaking on various aspects of preserving ancient buildings and priceless traditions, Chattrapathy said, “Preserving the past requires a lot of social awareness and much care. People of those days were not self-centered. From the kind of heritage buildings they have left behind, it is clear that they did not think only about themselves.” “The buildings are living monuments of culture, and should be given proper care. We should not be seen to be lagging behind,” he added. Bhonsle Chattrapaty said foreigners had shown keen interest in the traditions of ancient India, and had visited the Thanjavur palace to study the unique paintings on the walls, and observe the process of writing palm leaf manuscripts. Highlighting the need for developing tourism, the senior prince said, “Our monuments in the South are much older, but we do not seem to be capitalizing on their potential. In Thanjavur, for example, agriculture is seeing hard days, and tourism can supplement the traditional income from the farms.”