Udupi awaits installation of 32-ft saint Madhwacharya sculpture

Pics: Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SM)

Udupi, Aug 21: As a mark of respect to Dvaita philosopher ‘Poornaprajna’ Madhwacharya, Palimar Math is installing a 32-ft single stone structure of the saint at Kunjargiri foothill.

Sri Vishwapriyatheertha Swami has taken the initiative to install the white stone statue of the great Madhwa proponent at Kunjargiri where he spent his childhood.

The 32-feet statue will be positioned on eight feet (Peetha) at the hill in the midst of Lord Parusharama and Goddess Durgadevi.

The koira grey granite stone needed for sculpting the statue arrived in Kundapur a couple of days ago. The statue will be installed at the famous Kunjargiri in the Pajaka Kshetra near Udupi here.
 
The 32-feet long koira granite stone weighs about 175 tonnes and was transported on a Volvo truck that has 172 wheels. It passed through Tumkur, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Hubli, Yellapur, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, Bhatkal, and Kundapur and Udupi. The vehicle, carrying the half sculpted stone, started off from Doddaballapur, Bangalore, on July 29.

The koira granite, along with a miniature model of the statue to be carved, was taken to Anegudde temple on Tuesday August 20 and after the puja and rituals there, it was transported towards Udupi in a procession and thereafter to the Pajaka Kshetra on Wednesday August 21.
 
The statue will be sculpted by well-known sculptor, national award winner Ashok Gudigar of Sagar. The entire project costs around Rs 1.5 crore. The statue is expected to be ready in about 6 months and 15-20 sculptors will be commissioned to work on it. The white stone will be given a blackish glaze following the completion of the work.

A grand reception will be accorded to the half sculpted stone at Karavali Junction and will be taken to Kunjargiri in a procession. The procession will comprise a tableaux.