Traditional knowledge from Agama texts and scientific precision of IIT Madras came together for the restoration of the 8th century Thiruvellarai Sri Pundarikaksha Perumal temple in Cuddalore recently.Repair of the entrance, some parts of the temple and restoration of the partly-built gopuram (entrance tower) was carried out by S Kumaragurbaran, a third-generation sthapathi from Thiruvathigai in Cuddalore, and a team from the civil engineering department at IIT Madras.Lime mortar was used to repair the walls and proper measurements and calculated planning were done to place rock pillars to restore the gopuram. Considered an experiment of traditional temple architecture and modern engineering, the exercise showed a promising coexistence of two ideas. "It was a great experience. When I was asked whether I could renovate the partly-built gopuram, I accepted the challenge. But it was not as easy as I expected," said Kumaragurbaran.Ancient Agama texts deal with several aspects when it comes to construction and restoration of a temple and Kumaragurbaran used whatever he had studied from the texts under his father. The temple is believed to have been constructed during the time of the Pallava king Nandivarman (II) and underwent a face lift during the reigns of other dynasties, namely the Pandya, Chola and Hoysala.Before Kumaragurbaran began work, he surveyed the gopuram and its surroundings. "I checked the history. I wanted to know why it was incomplete. The record shows, it was constructed 800 years ago based on the traditional architecture of the region, today Karnataka," he said. Since the gopuram was built on top of a rock, he knew that it would not collapse soon. By the time, a team from the IIT civil engineering department submitted a plan. There was no undergrowth normally found on neglected structures, indicating that the structure was strong.Cracked beams and pillars were restored without diminishing their glory. For removing the cracked basement support beam, the team used a crane that worked from outside. "We gave the crane operator directions over phone. It was his sense of understanding and precision that helped us replace many rock beams of the gopuram," he said.Members of the IIT civil engineering department precisely calculated the weight and length of each rock and pillar that was being used to ensure the balance of the structure is not disturbed. "I found more sophisticated methods that I learned from my father who was a known sthapathi. So we worked together with IIT and finished the work we were assigned," said Kumaragurbaran. Though the experiment bore fruit, the work is not over. It will take a year or two to complete the structure of the gopuram.The new approach to the temple restoration can be emulated in other heritage structures in the state, where often repair is carried out using cement, steel and paint randomly that leads to loss of original designs on them.