Mysuru:  Shifting process of the life-size statues of a Commandant and a Postman on Lalitha Mahal Road in front of KARP Mounted Police Headquarters has begun and a team of Heritage Experts visited the site last evening to inspect the progress of the works.

The statues of Postman (Anche) Basappa and Commandant Bhujangarao Jagadale have earned the attraction of every motorist passing by and have completed 111 years. The statues are being shifted to the premises of Mounted Police Headquarters as recommended by the Committee of Heritage Experts.

The Committee had recommended the Mounted Police to shift the statues from the gate entrance to deep inside the premises where the foundations to host the statues have already been laid. Prof. N.S. Rangaraju of the Heritage Committee told  Star of Mysore that before the shifting, the statues have to be neatly packed without causing any damage to the structures.

The packing process began this morning and necessary implements and packing materials are being stocked up near the statues. Workers are using dry grass, thermocol, gunny bags and other soft materials to pack the statues and shift them to the new location. Enough care is being taken not to cause any damage to the statues.

The packing process will be initiated under the supervision of experts and as the statue materials are fragile, experts have to evaluate the mode of transporting the structures. Prof. Rangaraju said that the actual shifting process would begin next Sunday.

Both the statues are over 5 ft tall and new pedestals and mantaps to house the statues have been constructed at Mounted Police premises. While Postman Basappa’s statue will be on the right side of the Mounted Police Headquarters, Commandant Bhujangarao Jagadale’s statue will be on the left.

The statues have been designed using limestone, water, sand and lime plaster. We will preserve the originality of the statues and the shifting process is being undertaken under the guidance of the Heritage Committee, said Prof. Rangaraju. He added that the statues will be shifted in 15 days once the packing process is completed.

Erected in 1907, the statues are of great heritage value and they recall the contribution of Postman Basappa and Commandant Bhujangarao Jagadale. Postman Basappa or Anche (Post) Basappa was a Postman during the reign of Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar while Bhujangarao Jagadale served as a Mounted Guard or Commandant of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1907 and later became the head of a  small group of Mounted Police Force.

The District Heritage Committee had felt the need to shift the statues as they are facing a threat due to a lot of pressure on the road, thanks to high vehicle density. The statues will now  be placed at vantage points so that their visibility is not obstructed. The shifting work has been taken up by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage.