Geochemical Analysis and Scientific Conservation of The Exterior Surface of The Ancient Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand, India

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RESEARCH ARTICLES

Geochemical analysis and scientific


conservation of the exterior surface of the
ancient Kedarnath temple, Uttarakhand, India
Vimal Kumar1,*, S. S. Panda1, B. P. Nauni1, Ram Ji Nigam1 and
Barun K. Mukherjee2
1
Archaeological Survey of India (Science Branch), 29, New Cantt Road, Dehradun 284 001, India
2
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, G. M. S. Road, Dehradun 284 001, India

Ministry of Culture, Government of India (GoI), took up


Kedarnath temple is situated on the Garhwal Hima-
layan range near River Mandakini in Rudraprayag, the challenging scientific conservation of the temple.
Uttarakhand, India. The temple (more than 1200 years Building materials for ancient monuments are excavated
old) was badly affected by devastating floods and from the surrounding environment where they are situ-
landslides during 13–16 June 2013. To protect the aes- ated at the time of their construction. Daily and seasonal
thetic value of this ancient temple, a systematic scientific changes in temperature, humidity, wind, snow, rainfall,
conservation has been carried out. The present study soluble salts carried by water, biological agents, pollutant
describes the geochemical character of the rocks gases and particulate matter in the environment introduce
mounted on the temple. It also evaluates weathering in the monuments through physical, chemical and biolo-
trend of the rocks by studying petrography and the gical processes4. Physical weathering is caused specifically
analysis of major oxides, using optical microscopy, X- by freeze–thaw processes, salt weathering as well as hygric,
ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. Petrography
thermal and wet–dry cycling5. Chemical weathering are
and discrimination clusters analysis show that the rock
is granitic gneisses in composition and is peraluminous induced on mineral constituents of the stone by moisture,
in nature, while the new rock KDN2 sample shows carbon dioxide and oxygen from the atmospheric air5.
paralkaline character. Various researchers have studied the complex nature of
archaeological monuments and stone materials using mul-
tiple advanced techniques6,7. The present study aims to
Keywords: Ancient temple, conservation, exterior
identify similar rocks on the basis of their geochemical
surface, geochemistry, petrography.
characterization and scientific treatment adopted for
chemical conservation of the exterior stone surface of the
KEDARNATH temple is situated in Patti malli Kaliphat in
Kedarnath temple. This study also identifies mineralogical
parganah Nagpur of British Garhwal (presently Rudra-
assemblages using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and chemical
prayag, Uttarakhand, India), in the north lat. 30°44′15″
composition of the rocks through X-ray fluorescence
and east long. 79°6′33″ at an elevation of 11,753 feet
(XRF).
amsl. The temple is built on a ridge jutting out at right
angles from the snowy range below the Mahapanth peak1.
Its pinnacle forms the adytum of Shrine. This ancient Materials and methods
temple stands near the head of the valley of Mandakini on
a level spot. It is a strong building having a neat facade
Stone specifications
on either side with niches and images1. During May–
October each year, the Kedarnath region becomes over-
Four representative rock samples were collected from dif-
crowded and remains busy with the Chardham yatra and
ferent parts of Kedarnath temple (Figure 1). The samples
tourist activities1. During 15–17 June 2013, this whole
were labelled as old KDN1 (OK1, collected from the
region received sudden cloud bursts, causing incessant
temple site), old KDN2 (OK2, near the temple site), new
rainfall; particularly the Kedarnath area faced devastating
KDN1 (NK1, quarry stone), new KDN2 (NK2, quarry
flash floods associated with multiphase landslides. The
stone near the helipad behind the temple).
flash floods were so massive that it was called ‘Himalayan
tsunami’2,3. Kedarnath temple and its surroundings were
badly affected. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Analytical procedures

Microscopic studies: The photomicrographs of rock


*For correspondence. (e-mail: vimal_drl@yahoo.in) samples and thin sections were studied using optical

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RESEARCH ARTICLES
microscope (Nikon, SMZ-800) with EDF software to show that the stones are dull white in colour with alter-
determine the rock texture and composition8–10. nate dark and light bands; mineralogically the stones are
composed of quartz, feldspar and mica. The rock samples
XRF: The 200 mesh size powdered rock samples show uneven surface-topography. Figure 3 shows 3D image
were analysed using a high-power X-ray tube of 4 kW of surface roughness intensity manifests intense rough-
capacity which provides more power wavelength disper- ness on the surface of tested samples. Figures 4 and 5 show
sive – XRF (Bruker S-8, USA)6,7,11,12. thin-section photomicrographs of the tested rock samples;
the photo plates have been recovered both in plane polar-
XRD: The labelled rock samples were powdered and ized light and crossed nicole. The rocks were essentially
analysed using an XRD system (Panalytical X’pert Pro) composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase-albite and
through paid instrument facility of Wadia Institute of micas (biotite) along with unidentified accessory minerals.
Himalayan Geology, Dehardun6,7,11,12. XRD pattern was The feeble twining in plagioclase was also noticed during
decoded using JCPDS software. thin-section studies. The mechanical strength and minera-
logical texture have also been observed in these images
Discriminant function: The discriminant function (DF) (Figures 4 and 5)8–10.
values were evaluated using the formula described by
Elatikpo et al.13. Positive DF values suggest an igneous
origin, whereas negative DF values point to sedimentary
origin14. The formula used is given below

DF = 10.44 – 0.21 SiO2 – 0.32 Fe2O3 (total Fe)

– 0.98 MgO + 0.55 CaO + 1.46 Na2O + 0.54 K2O.

Conservation methods

The conservation methods to protect and preserve the


exterior stone surface of Kedarnath temple were adapted
from the literature15–17.

Results

Microscopic studies
Figure 2. Two-dimensional microscopic images (10×) of the studied
samples with surface roughness intensity.
Figure 2 shows microscopic images (10×) with surface
roughness intensity of all the four types of stone samples
collected from the temple site. The megascopic features

Figure 1. Megascopic features of rock samples collected from Figure 3. Three-dimensional microscopic images (10×) of the studied
Kedarnath temple and nearby areas. samples with surface roughness intensity.

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RESEARCH ARTICLES
Table 1. Analysis of major oxides of four representative rock samples collected from
the temple site
Entry Major oxides (%) Old KDN 1 Old KDN 2 New KDN 1 New KDN 2
1 Na2O 3.25 2.69 3.84 2.80
2 MgO 0.40 0.44 0.39 1.32
3 Al2O3 14.23 14.20 11.95 9.27
4 SiO2 72.19 70.88 75.44 74.67
5 P 2 O5 0.18 0.30 0.14 0.11
6 K2O 5.23 5.69 3.20 2.82
7 CaO 0.90 0.92 1.02 4.44
8 TiO2 0.31 0.33 0.30 0.33
9 MnO 0.03 0.50 0.03 0.07
10 Fe2O3 2.32 2.98 2.73 2.64
Total 99.04 98.48 99.04 98.47

Figure 6. Al2O3/(CaO + Na2O + K2O) versus Al2O3/(Na2O + K2O)


plot showing the dominantly peraluminious nature of the analysed rock
samples19,20,22.
Figure 4. Microscopic image of thin section of OK1 and OK2 sam-
ples with crossed nicole and plane polarized light. Scale: View length
~1 mm.

XRF: The chemical composition of four different pow-


dered samples was analysed using XRF. Table 1 shows
results of analysis of major oxides. The rock sample con-
tains SiO2, which falls in the higher side in the range of
70.88–75.44 wt% and low content of Fe2O3 and MgO
(2.32–2.98 wt%) and (0.39–1.32 wt%) respectively.
Figure 6 shows a plot of Al2O3/(CaO + Na2O + K2O) ver-
sus Al2O3/(Na2O + K2O) for the data obtained from XRF
results.

XRD: Figures 7 and 8 show the XRD patterns of new


and old rock samples respectively. The new KDN1 is
mainly composed of quartz (score 52), albite (score 32),
orthoclase (score 24), anthrolite (score 20) and K-feldspar
(score 21) whereas the new KDN2 has quartz (score 51),
albite (score 31), orthoclase (score 15), anorthite (score 21)
and Na-feldspar (score 18). Quartz (score 57), albite (score
22), orthoclase (score 21) and K-feldspar (score 19) were
present in the old KDN1, whereas quartz (score 53),
Figure 5. Microscopic image of thin section of NK1 and NK2 sam-
ples in crossed nicole and plane polarized light. Scale: View length albite (score 18), orthoclase (score 18) and anorthite
~1 mm. (score 17) were reported in the old KDN2.

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RESEARCH ARTICLES
DF: All four samples showed positive DF values, indi- Discussion
cating that the rocks were igneous in origin (Table 2).
The analysed rock samples were poor in ferromagnesium XRF results show that Na is consistently less than K in
content (Fe2O3 + MgO + TiO2). For protolith identifica- the new KDN1 and KDN2 samples. Alumina (Al2O3)
tion, the rock samples were determined using a DF in content is generally within the same range (9.27–
case the MgO < 6% and SiO2 < 90% for all quartzofelds- 14.23 wt%) for all the analysed samples. However, few
pathic rock13,14. samples show increasing Al2O3, and decreasing SiO2

Figure 7. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the new (a) KDN1 and (b) KDN2 rock powder samples of the temple with theta spacing.

Figure 8. XRD pattern of old (a) KDN1 and (b) KDN2 rock powder samples of the temple with theta spacing.

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Table 2. Calculated discriminant function (DF) of four representative rock
samples collected from the temple site
Entry Analyte (%) Old KDN 1 Old KDN 2 New KDN 1 New KDN 2
1 SiO2 72.19 70.38 75.44 74.67
2 Fe2O3 2.32 2.98 2.64 2.64
3 MgO 0.40 0.44 0.39 1.32
4 CaO 0.90 0.92 1.02 4.44
5 Na2O 3.25 2.69 3.84 2.80
6 K2O 5.23 5.69 3.20 2.82
7 DF 2.20 1.78 1.17 1.24

content with systematic increase in CaO and Na2O. These supply for chemical reactions; this eliminates soluble
data suggest that the rocks were derived from a quartzo- constituents of the minerals27. Studies have shown that K-
feldspathic (granitic) source and the geochemical trends feldspar breaks down and forms secondary clay minerals
match with the characteristics of Archaeon granitic such as illite and kaolinite under extreme weathering con-
rocks18,19. The non-variability of the alumina (Al2O3) in ditions28–35. The weathering of feldspar is represented as
the entire samples were analysed and fall in the range of follows
9.27–14.23 wt%, which suggests a calc-alkaline affinity.
This could also be due to their low Fe–Mg-bearing sili- Feldspar → illite → kaolinite28.
cate mineral. Representative major oxides of all four
samples were almost similar to gneiss-1 and gneiss-2 2KI AlSi3O8 + 2H2O + CO2 →
which were reported by Hussain et al.20 and Adegbuyi et Feldspar
al.21. All tested samples exhibit peraluminous character,
except the new KDN 2 which shows peralkaline charac- Al2Si2O5(OH)4 + K2CO3 + 4SiO2,
ter. This was confirmed by the methods reported in the Kaolinite
literature19,21,22 (Figure 6).
Hard minerals like quartz and albite show huge propor- 6K(AlSi3O8) + 4H2O + 4CO3 →
tions and data of major oxides of all tested samples indi- Orthoclase
cate granitic gniess23 in nature with peraluminous
characters and show similar results as reported by Rut- K2Al4(Si6Al2O20)(OH)4 + 12SiO2 + 4K+ + 4HCO3.
land24. Quartz, the major constituent in all the four sam- Illite
ples, showed higher resistance with respect to pressure,
temperature and deformation. The variations in tempera- 2KAl5Si7O20(OH)4 + 2H2O + 2CO3 + 13H2O →
ture exert significant influence on the disintegration of Illite
rocks. In the Kedarnath area during daytime the rocks get
heated up by the high-intensity sunrays, causing expan- 5Al2Si2O5(OH)4 + 4H4SiO4 + 2K + 2HCO3.
sion, while at the night, the temperature falls to sub-zero Kaolinite
levels, causing cooling, which results in contraction of
the rocks. The rapid physical changes due to expansion These types of weathering trends were not found in the
and contraction exerted by the stones of the ancient tested samples of Kedarnath temple. XRD studies reveal
Kedarnath temple decays very easily and crumbles since that quartz, albite, orthoclase, anthroite and K-feldspar
the rock is a bad conductor of heat25. It was also observed are the main primary minerals in all sample profiles.
that minerals within the rocks vary in their rate of expan- These minerals are observed mainly in less-weathered
sion and contraction according to their composition and samples.
chemical characteristics. The cubical expansion of quartz
is twice that of feldspar26. Dark-coloured rocks are sub-
jected to fast changes with temperature compared to light- Conservation issues and treatment
coloured rocks26. The differential expansion of minerals
on a rock surface generates stress between the heated sur- The exterior stone surface of Kedarnath temple had
face and cooled unexpanded parts, resulting in fragmenta- become blackish due to deposition of sandy dust, dirt and
tion of rocks26. However, the presence of less amount of dried vegetation and micro-vegetation growth under
moisture content and water shows the small flexibility of extreme cold weather conditions. Sand and thick dust
minerals which prevents brittleness and surface stress of layers were redeposited on the exterior surface of the
the rocks. Under extreme weather conditions, rainfall temple during and after the natural disaster of June
influences chemical weathering. It controls the moisture 2013 (Figure 9). These depositions provided favourable

564 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 121, NO. 4, 25 AUGUST 2021


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Figure 9. Blackish biofilm growing on the exterior surface of the temple after the flash floods encountered.

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