Wadiyar statue neglected in Mysuru

Mysuru: The city may be celebrating  the birth anniversary of Mysuru Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on Saturday, but it has done little to protect his statue at KR Circle, which is now cracked and faded thanks to years of neglect.

Other heritage structures too are crying out for attention in the city, but the government has still not approved the proposed amendment to section 13 E of the town and country planning Act ,1962  which will provide  201 of them with the protection they so badly need.

While concerned about the cracks  in the statue of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the Mysuru city corporation is waiting for guidance from the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural property to repair it. Corporation Commissioner, Dr C G Betsurmath explains there are cracks in the statue’s sword ,  on the left and right side of the face, and the nose “As the statue was installed in 1952, it has  been exposed to  all kinds of  weather conditions,         which may have caused the cracks,” he said, revealing that a senior conservator from the regional office of National Research Laboratory , who inspected it, had sought  information on the stone used and so on before giving  his assessment.  

“Based on the report, the lab will give us directions, and we will act accordingly,” he assured.   Heritage expert, Eechanur Kumar, however, believes the cracks on  the statue could be the result of vandalism.         

“The statue is made of marble which rarely suffers damage .  The Mysuru city corporation needs to establish a cell for  maintenance of such sculptures of heritage value ,” he suggests.  

With the sword of another Mysuru Maharaja, Chamaraja Wadiyar, often going missing from his statue at Chamaraja Circle,  experts are now demanding installation of CCTV cameras near  heritage structures for their protection.