Mysuru: The State Government has approved the installation of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa statue at Ramakrishnanagar Circle that is developed by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) on the lines of K.R. Circle. The Circle is located at the intersection of Vishwamanava Double Road and Chaduranga Road.

The Government Order approving the works was issued yesterday by Nagaraj, Under Secretary to Urban Development Department. MUDA has developed the Circle at a cost of Rs. 3.74 crore and an attractive dome has been constructed.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, MUDA Chairman D. Dhruvakumar said that it will be a life-size statue of the 19th century saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in a sitting posture and is being carved at a cost of Rs. 47.5 lakh.

At the Board Meeting held Oct. 1, 2015, the MUDA had decided to install the statue.

The statue of Sri Paramahamsa, which is 15 tonne and 10 ft. tall is being sculpted by Arun Yogiraj, who carved the recently-installed statute of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. Yogiraj is sculpting the statue near Gautham Hostel in Saraswathipuram.

The statue is being carved using a white marble brought from Rajasthan. The marble was around 45 tonnes and once the statue is ready it will weigh 15-16 tonnes. It will be placed inside a pedestal resembling a lotus (see pic).

“The cost was estimated and the proposal was sent to the State government and now it has got the approval from Urban Development Minister R. Roshan Baig,” Dhruvakumar said.

The statue is said to be the tallest statue of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in the country, according to sources. Arun Yogiraj is assisted by eight sculptors.