Nagpur Architect Leads Restoration of Ancient Markanda Temples
Nagpur, India: Shivani Sharma, a conservation architect from Nagpur, is helping restore the ancient Markanda group of temples in Gadchiroli district. The project, led by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), aims to bring the 9th-12th century temples back to their original glory.
Sharma first studied the temple’s restoration as part of her graduation project at the National Institute in Bhopal, where she specialised in conservation architecture. "During our research, we studied nearby temples and developed techniques for restoration. Many of these are now proving useful in the actual work," she said.
A month ago, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Sounik visited the site to check on the progress. During her visit, Sharma explained the details of the project, which includes both the restoration of the temple and the development of the surrounding village. While ASI is handling the temple work, the Maharashtra government is improving infrastructure in the village.
Sharma has been working as a consultant with DRONAH, Gurgaon, since December 2021, helping plan the village’s development. The goal is to turn it into a major tourist attraction while following ASI rules to protect the historical site.
Gadchiroli is also seeing industrial growth under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The government wants to ensure that Markanda temple remains a cultural and tourist hotspot while improving the village’s facilities.
The entire project is expected to take another two years to complete. Once finished, it will help preserve history and boost tourism in the region.
