Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Feb 25: The giant-sized Kalasha (ceremonial pitcher) which once stood at the centre of Mahaveer Circle at Pumpwell in the city that had become an attraction, is set o be re-installed. The Kalasha had been moved away to facilitate flyover work about four years back.
At the time the Kalasha was installed at the circle, a junction where four roads meet, the circle had been renamed as Mahaveer Circle. This also was published in the state gazette.
The Kalasha had been moved with the help of a crane on March 21, 2016. With the completion of flyover work, Kalasha re-installation work is gaining attention now. The Kalasha is currently sitting opposite a police outpost nearby. A decision about where it could be re-installed was not taken and therefore the work on Kalasha was not undertaken.
Kalasha removed from Pumpwell Circle (file photo)
The National Highways Authority of India has created a new circle under the flyover now. Jain Society Mangaluru and people's representatives are thinking about the feasibility of installing the Kalasha at the centre of this circle. The current circle is smaller in size, and has been created to help the vehicles to take deviation as per the road plan. As this is a smaller circle, the desirability and practicability of installing this huge Kalasha there are being considered. Jain Society
officials feel that it is not easy to install the Kalasha at the centre of the circle. They feel that it would be good if it can be stationed at its current spot near the police outpost in an organized way.
The Kalasha was sitting in the 40 cent spot at the middle of Pumpwell circle in the past. As the flyover has occupied its space, an alternate spot has to be found for the Kalasha. As there is vacant space near the spot where the Kalasha currently sits, some feel that its current spot suits it well. But a final decision is yet to be taken.
The Kalasha had been created and installed at Pumpwell circle as a symbol of well being on the centenary celebration of Bhagwan Mahaveer who spread the message of peace all over the world. It had been installed in 2003 and it had been removed from its slot in 2016 to facilitate flyover work. The Kalasha is 26 feet high and weighs 22 tonnes. About Rs 13 lac had been spent for the making of the Kalasha.
Pushparaj jain, secretary of Mangaluru Jain Society, says that apart from re-installing the Kalasha at a suitable place, there is a need to display the board announcing the name of the circle as 'Mahaveer Circle' at the spot.
Mangaluru (south) MLA, Vedavyas Kamath, said that once the city corporation administration takes over the reins, a unanimous decision about the reinstallation of the Kalasha will be taken, and before that, the spot where it has to be installed again will be identified.