In a country like India, which has bestowed to the world exquisite craftsmanship, art and architecture since ancient times, it is rather disheartening to read that a recently built statue of Shivaji Maharaj has collapsed.
The art of making sculptures in India has existed since the Indus Valley Civilization. The famous Dancing Girl, a prehistoric bronze sculpture dates to 2300-1750 BC. Discovered by the British archaeologist Ernest Mackay while excavating the Mohenjo-Daro region in 1926, it sheds light on the sophistication of technique artists of the time had.
Many centuries later, in the 18th and 19th century there was a surge in the number of colossal statues built in public places celebrating Gods and Goddesses as well as public figures who either had power and control or were highly regarded by the people of the region. This practice was perhaps taken from the Italian Renaissance Masters Donatello and Michelangelo. These beautifully moulded, metal cast and marble carved statues continue to stand tall on the Florentine squares of Italy.
In India, cenotaphs and temples were more popular, worshipping deities and paying homage to kings and queens. The grandeur of the temple and cenotaph would largely be based on the popularity and greatness of the departed soul.
Soon after that era, statues took precedence in the public areas with freedom fighters, politicians and people of prominence being commemorated. These statues can often be seen as a projection of a country’s cultural and political values at a particular moment in time.
Historically, these monuments would be commissioned to be designed and built by the best artists and sculptors of the nation. There was a rigorous process with attention to design and detail. The best quality of materials would then be chosen keeping in mind how they would react to the weather and climate of the region. These public statues were also planned respecting the place and prioritising the existing town and city planning. There was also a maintenance plan in order to look after and preserve these works of art given they were susceptible to weathering. These figures were often deified.
While countless statues have been built in the past decade, there is little to no priority given to the quality and planning of them. I recall visiting the Bhavnagar University where they erected a statue of my great grandfather. Seven years later, the metal has rusted, the glorified statue left to decay despite several pleas to have it cleaned, maintained and restored. Is this not disrespectful to the person who one is claiming to respect by building this statue in the first place?
India boasts of the tallest statue in the world, the 597 feet tall Statue of Unity, which was built in 2018. While the metal-clad statue, built in the State of Gujarat, celebrates one of India’s key independence activists, Vallabhbhai Patel, I do wonder if a man who spent his life serving people and fighting for the country’s freedom would want local people dislocated for such a purpose. A person who believed in frugality and humility would have probably abhorred this colossal spending of public money.
I hope the recent fall of the Shivaji Maharaj statue sparks conversation and brings to the forefront issues such as workmanship, quality and more importantly the purpose of building these public works of art. The 35 feet statue had rusted nuts and bolts in a period of mere nine months from being built. Was the quality of the metal or the climate of the region not taken into account? Is this not only a matter of disrespect but also dangerous for people in close proximity to the statue?
The art of creating a statue seems to be lost to propaganda and politics or perhaps it was always an integral part of it. One must also question the depth of a society where poor quality of work is acceptable. The French slogan ‘l’art pour l’art’ or art for arts sake may be wishful thinking but perhaps if attention to detail was given, these statues, like the ancient ones, would stand the test of time.