By R. Raja Chandra
This refers to a series of articles in Star of Mysore by your popular columnist Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem (Over A Cup of Evening Tea) on statues dotting our heritage city.
Initially, I wanted to write a riposte to his illuminating story titled “A Mysore Queen’s Magic Touch!” in SOM dated Apr. 5. However, his parting comment — A little more about Colton, Ganpatrao and another most unusual statue, next week! — made me wait for another week!
However, after reading his Apr. 12 column, titled “Of A Few More Statues And Their Makers,” I perforce had to change my mind about writing a detailed note on Robert William Colton (1867-1921) and Ganpatrao Mhatre (1879-1947). Hopefully, I will reserve it for another day!
This is because, in his article, the learned doctor says: “Nearer home are the statues of Maharaja H.H. Chamaraja Wadiyar X and Sir Mark Cubbon, located at Cubbon Park and more notably, the bronze equestrian statue he has sculpted of our Maharaja, that now stands in the statue park of Lalbagh, in Bengaluru.”
I am afraid he is wrong regarding the equestrian statues of Sir Mark Cubbon (1775-1861) in Cubbon Park (officially called Sri Chamarajendra Park) and Maharaja Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar (1863-1894) in Lalbagh.
Ironically, both equestrian statues have a rather chequered history!
Sir Mark Cubbon’s bronze statue was actually done by the celebrated Italian-born French sculptor, Baron Pietro Carlo Giovanni Battista Marochetti RA (1805-1867). The statue was formally unveiled in the Parade Grounds by Cubbon’s successor, Lewin Bentham Bowring, on March 16, 1866. Since its unveiling, the statue has been relocated on many occasions!
After the construction of Attara Kacheri (the Old Public Offices Building, now the Karnataka High Court in Bengaluru) in 1868, the statue was moved to the front of the building and later shifted behind it in 1950.
In 2020, it was once again moved to a place beside the Bandstand inside Sri Chamarajendra Park. Karnataka State Horticulture Department has added two new sculptures at the back of the High Court and Bandstand. [See pictures]
Maharaja Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar’s equestrian bronze statue is by English sculptor Edward Onslow Ford RA (1852 – 1901)! Ford, who died prematurely at the age of 49, was an established figure in the New Sculpture Movement in the late nineteenth century and was particularly known for portraiture, which included the Shelley Memorial at University College (1892), Oxford, William Ewart Gladstone (1894) and Queen Victoria (1901).
Luckily, a few records survive relating to the Maharaja’s statue. One among them is a maquette of the horse from the life-size sculpture of the Maharaja, signed and dated ‘E.Onslow Ford. 1897’.
Obviously, the artist created a maquette of the horse in 1897 before creating the life-size. This was on sale at Christie’s a few years ago and realised USD 10,156! Similarly, another maquette of the equestrian statue is also available. [See pictures]
This statue was unveiled by Lord Curzon in Mysore on 1.12.1900. To commemorate the Viceroy’s visit to Mysore and the inauguration of the statue by His Excellency, the Maharani Regent, HH Kempananjammanni of Vani Vilas Sannidhana, proposed to set apart the ground around it for a park to be called after Lord Curzon’s name.
However, when the new Palace was built and further beautification of the area around the fort was undertaken, this statue was shifted to Lalbagh. The then Superintendent of Lalbagh, Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel (1865-1956) created a beautiful circle around the statue.
The statue is installed on a marble pedestal about ten feet high. The pedestal has a main dais for the primary statue and four smaller dais in the four angular directions; each of these previously held a mini statuette.
Sadly, they have been vandalised and are missing. Interestingly, a small statue of Krumbiegel is available inside the Mysore Palace.
However, this is not a case where Edward Onslow Ford is denied a place of honour in the Heritage City. Mysore’s oldest bronze statue, which the author has missed out in his story about statues, is that of Sir James Davidson Gordon KCSI (1835-1889).
Sir James Gordon has rendered yeoman service to Mysore. He was the guardian of the young Maharaja Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar. He was also the last Chief Commissioner to Mysore, serving from 1878 to 1881, before the famous Rendition in 1881 when the British handed over the ruling powers to the young Maharaja.
He served as the British Resident of Mysore from 1881 to 1883 and continued to guide his protege and the Dewans in the early days after Rendition. He was also the Chief Commissioner of Coorg from 1878 to 1883. The area around the Attara Kacheri (old DC Office) was actually known as Gordon Park and a majestic statue of Gordon, sculpted by Onslow Ford, stands in front of the Attara Kacheri. [See pic.]
Despite the minor errors, the author, in his inimitable style, has enriched readers with many unknown anecdotes and facets of our heritage city’s history.
[Author Raja Chandra is a member of erstwhile Mysore royal family]
This post was published on April 16, 2026 6:10 pm