HASSAN: With the much acclaimed Mahamastakabhisheka (head anointing ceremony) of Lord Bahubali set to happen soon, even the lightning arrester installed atop Vindhyagiri Hill to protect the giant statue from a possible lightning strike is being replaced!
The lightning conductor has become old and redundant and has been replaced with an advanced lighting conductor by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The gigantic statue of Bahubali measures 58.8 feet high and stands on the peak of Vindhyagiri Hill at Shravanabelagola, a Jain pilgrim centre in Hassan district. A statue located at such a height. can easily attract lightning, says Superintending Archaeologist of ASI, Bengaluru Circle, K Moortheswari.
Talking to Deccan Chronicle, she exuded confidence that the advanced lightning conductor would protect the statue from a possible lightning strike. The replacement of the old conductor was taken up by officials concerned of ASI, Bengaluru circle who are the custodian of the monument, in consultation with Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The advanced conductor was installed at Vindhyagiri Hill at a cost of about Rs 4 lakh. Mutt members had made a request to get the old conductor replaced and their plea was answered by ASI which got the redundant conductor replaced. Moortheswari added, “We do not know when the old conductor was installed at the hill nor do we know since when it was in an idle state.”
The ASI had also cleaned the statue of fungal growth using mild detergents and a close examination of the statue by ASI scientists found that it could survive for another 1,000 years.
