Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Mar 22: The landmark 'Kalasha' at Mahaveer circle, Pumpwell which had adorned the entry point of the city for a decade, was on Monday March 21 removed and shifted to another spot close by.

The Kalasha was moved in order to make way for the construction of a flyover connecting the stretch between Karnataka Bank headquarters and Indiana hospital. The work on the flyover began in December 2015, and the Maahaveer circle was demolished for the purpose leaving the Kalasha intact until now.

Speaking to daijiworld, Ratnakar Jain said that the Jain community had requested the MCC to provide a land nearby for the Kalasha, and accordingly MCC gave oral approval to shift the structure to a 22 cents land close to the Mahaveer circle.

On Monday night, the Kalasha was thus removed and shifted to its new location with the help of a crane.

The 26-ft Kalasha had been donated by the Jain community and inaugurated by Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala in 2006, after the Pumpwell circle was renamed as Mahaveer circle.

File photos of Mahaveer circle in full glory

The Kalash weighed 22 tons, but after shifting, it reduced to 20 tons as it was not removed from the base.

With this, Mahaveer circle has become history. 

Former CREDAI president Pushparaj, NHAI engineer K M Hegde, Sharan Pumpwell and others were present.