The 800-year-old Ta Prohm shrine in Cambodia — better known as temple of trees — will soon be restored and conserved with the help of Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI). A team, led by FRI director Dr S S Negi and senior scientist Dr Sas Biswas, will supervise the entire process of conserving and restoring the temple. Besides being as old as the world famous Angkor Wat temple, Ta Prohm is unique with massive trees winding around the structure.

Almost like a giant octopus taking the temple in its tight grip, the tree trunks and roots wind through the crevices of the structure. The unique appearance of the temple draws thousands of tourists every year.

The Cambodian authorities had approached the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to restore the temple. Years ago, the Angkor Wat temple was successfully restored by the Archeological Survey of India. Though there was no doubt that the ASI was well-equipped to restore this temple too, the question was whether it would be able to do so without touching the trees that were more than a century old. It was at this point that the FRI was approached and a team of scientists made a reconnaissance of the site in February 2007. Subsequently, they started working on a project proposal to restore the temple, without causing any damage to the trees.

“It was of prime importance that the trees do not get disturbed in any way. We studied all aspects of the area — physiological, pathological and aesthetic. We studied the area surrounding the temple in terms of its meteorology, geomorphology and bio-diversity,” said Biswas.

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