Mysore/Mysuru: After successfully carving the Adi Shankaracharya Statue at Kedarnath which has got world-wide recognition to Mysuru, sculptor Arun Yogiraj and his team has carved another monolith of Lord Anjaneya that will be installed at Chunchanakatte village of Saligrama taluk near K.R. Nagar.

The 31-ft statue will be formally installed with associated rituals in front of Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple. The statue was shifted to Chunchanakatte yesterday in a giant truck and cranes were used to offload the statue and make it stand.

The statue has been carved out of black schist (Krishna Shile) and weighs 28 to 30 tonnes. The formal installation and consecration of the statue will be held in the due course with elaborate rituals.

The statue has been carved with a budget of Rs. 40 lakh. The statue made its ‘Pura Pravesha’ at Sri Thopamma Devi Temple at K.R. Nagar where floral tributes were offered to the statue that was placed horizontally on the truck. The statue was welcomed by Priests chanting hymns. Church heads and Moulvis too extended their welcome.

Later, the statue was transported to Chunchanakatte where pujas were performed and the statue was garlanded. Titular head of Mysore royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, K.R. Nagar MLA S.R. Mahesh, former Mayor R. Lingappa, former Zilla Panchayat Member S.R. Nandeesh and former Corporator K.V. Mallesh were present. When Mahesh was the Minister for Tourism in the JD(S)-Congress Coalition Government, he had released Rs. 12 crore to the development of K.R. Nagar and out of that funds, Lord Anjaneya statue was sculpted with Rs. 40 lakh, said supporters of the MLA.