Srirangapatna: Soon, visitors to Brindavan Gardens and the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam, which draw thousands of tourists daily, will have the opportunity to admire life-size statues of Rajarshi Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the Dam’s Chief Founder-Patron and Sir M. Visvesvaraya (Sir MV), the Dewan and the Chief Engineer responsible for the construction of the Reservoir in Mandya District.

These striking white marble statues, housed within two Mantapas, have been installed at the Southern Gate of the Dam.

Currently covered in green shade-net, the statues await their official unveiling, which will take place once minor pending works are finalised in a month and following the conclusion of Lok Sabha polls and adherence to the Model Code of Conduct.

The initial estimated cost of the statues was Rs. 8.5 crore which has now escalated to Rs. 11.6 crore due to several factors, including tender premium, design modifications and other miscellaneous expenses.

Both statues measure 22×22 metres in length and 22.387×22.387 metres in width and they stand at a height of 9.4 feet atop 2-foot pedestals.

Model of K.R. Circle 

Abu Farooq, Assistant Executive Engineer of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL), informed Star of Mysore this morning that the statue works commenced on July 7, 2019. The tender for the project was awarded to H.S.R. Constructions. As a benchmark, the model of K.R. Circle, which houses the white marble statue of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in  Mysuru, was utilised.

The Mantapas have been built with Doddaballapur stones and the statues are of white marble stone like the statues at Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, Chamaraja Wadiyar and Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circles in Mysuru city.

“There has been a delay in the construction of statues due to numerous factors like COVID-19, absence of skilled workers and stone carvers and some alterations made to the original design. We also sought feedback from Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, a member of the erstwhile Mysore Royal Family, regarding the design and construction of the Mantapas, as well as the statues themselves. Models of the statues were crafted and only after her approval was obtained, the final design was meticulously carved to ensure authenticity,” CNNL AEE Abu Farooq stated.

“Valuable inputs and suggestions were provided by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar and the artisans and project engineers got access to rare photos to design the statues,” he added.

Carved at Jaipur in Rajasthan

The models and the final statues were crafted in Jaipur, Rajasthan. “Initially, we estimated that Nalwadi’s statue would weigh three tonnes. However, after finalising the design and incorporating his royal attire, including robes, coat and crown, the statue’s weight increased to 7 tonnes. Sir MV’s statue is slightly lighter in weight,” he revealed.

Notably, below the ornate Mantapas, two rooms have been built with the same stone with which the Mantapas have been built and the rooms feature an informative display, showcasing photographs and details about the construction of the KRS Dam and the timeline of its development.

Presented in a museum-style format, this display spans a platform measuring 30 feet in width and 30 feet in length. The rooms also feature rare photos of Kannambadi village before the construction of the Dam. The Dam in the local language is still called Kannambadi Katte.