The work of restoring the ancient Manmatha honda (pushkarni), of the Vijayanagar period, adjacent to the Virupaksha temple at Hampi is going on in full swing. The honda is being used for conducting religious festivities, including theppotsava during the annual fair. For want of maintenance, the water in the ‘honda’ had turned green and gives off a stench too.

B. Sriramulu, MLA, during his visit to Hampi in December, 2014, held a discussion with the officials of the Archaeological Survey of India and stressed the need for restoring it.

Accordingly, the work was taken up by the body at an estimated Rs. 2.45 crore and they up to 1.5 metres of accumulated silt.

Simultaneously, the work of resetting the stone steps on all four sides was also being taken up using around 195 workers.

“Prior to commencing the work, we carried out various trial tests to ascertain that there was no evidence underneath the silt that had filled up. During the tests, we also found that the drinking water pipelines had been laid adjacent to the honda. After proper documentation of the monument, numbering of the stones, points where the stones had slipped and the like, we took up the restoration work,” sources in the ASI told The Hindu .

Along with restoring the honda, the work of relaying the slabs on pathway surrounding it, shifting the electrical poles, drinking water pipelines would also be taken up, for which ASI has already deposited the funds with the departments concerned.

“We hope to complete the ongoing works before the commencement of the monsoon,” the sources added.