Does not apply to those opting for marriage registration under the Special Marriage Karnataka Rules, 1961

Bengaluru/Mysuru: In a bid to boost marriage registrations and streamline the application process, Karnataka has introduced an online registration facility for marriages governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

The initiative was inaugurated by Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda at the Malleswaram Sub-Registrar Office in Bengaluru on Feb. 15. The facility will be extended to all Sub-Registrar’s Offices across the State including Mysuru before the end of this month.

Explaining the convenience of the new system, he stated, “Individuals are no longer required to physically visit the Sub-Registrar’s Office to register their marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act. Instead, they can generate a certificate from the comfort of their home by submitting a wedding invitation or video, and undergoing Aadhaar authentication. This marks another stride towards transparency and efficient service delivery.”

Additionally, the State has introduced an online application process for marriages falling under the purview of the Special Marriage Act, of 1954. After providing all the necessary documents online, a visit to the Sub-Registrar’s Office will only be for registration.

Nevertheless, for individuals reluctant to undergo Aadhaar authentication, the option for offline registration at the Sub-Registrar’s Office remains available. Notably, this alternative does not apply to those opting for marriage registration under the Special Marriage Karnataka Rules, 1961, which necessitates a one-month notice period and the physical presence of both the bride and groom before the Sub-Registrar.

Officials have indicated that the online registration facility is currently being piloted at the Malleswaram Sub-Registrar Office and is slated for expansion to other regions of the State by the end of the month. Citizens can access this service via the dedicated portal (kaveri.karnataka.gov.in). Notably, two marriage registrations were successfully conducted online according to the established schedule.

On Feb. 1, the Karnataka Cabinet endorsed amendments to the Hindu Marriage Registration Act, streamlining the process by facilitating online registration and mitigating the risks of identity fraud and fraudulent registrations. These reforms were initially proposed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the 2023-24 Budget speech.

Despite a 2006 Supreme Court directive mandating compulsory marriage registration, the State Government reports that only around 30 percent of marriages in Karnataka are presently registered.

A legal requirement

Marriage certificates can now be obtained online through the Kaveri portal and dedicated software is currently under development. Senior officials responsible for this initiative are actively engaging in discussions with us. However, a specific implementation date in Mysuru has not been announced. With the introduction of online marriage registration, there is a potential for a significant increase in registrations. Previously, some individuals registered marriages solely to access government benefits. However, there is now a growing trend of more people opting for marriage registration, driven by an increased awareness of this legal requirement. There is a growing understanding among the populace that marriage must be legally registered following the ceremony. —Vijayalakshmi Inamdar, District Registrar

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Agro-Met Units in Kodagu, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Ramanagara to shut operations from Feb. 29

Kushalnagar:  Dealing a huge blow to Niti Aayog’s advice on growing climate-based crops, the Centre has decided to shut down the District Agro-Met Units (DAMUs) in Kodagu, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Ramanagara. The reason attributed for the closure is reportedly a fund crunch.

 These Agro-Met Units provided vital agrometeorological advisory services to thousands of agricultural workers and farmers. Effective March 1, 2024, the Union Government’s directive to cease operations after Feb. 29 will leave farmers without this crucial support.

A flagship initiative 

The Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS) scheme is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), dedicated to providing weather-related services crucial for farmers’ decision-making in day-to-day agricultural operations.

This collaborative effort between the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) led to the establishment of 200 District Agro-Met Units (DAMUs) across India in 2018-19. With continuous advancements in observational networks and forecasting technologies, the Agro-Met Advisory Service (AAS) network was expanded to the sub-district / block level.

This expansion is facilitated through the establishment of District Agro-Met Units (DAMUs) within the premises of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) operated by ICAR and State Universities, facilitated by Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs). 

In Karnataka, 10 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) have Agro-Met Units (Ballari, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Kolar, Koppal, Mandya (VC Farm), Ramanagara, Tumakuru and Yadgir) and they will cease operations from Feb. 29, affecting a total of 199 units nationwide. Consequently, 398 staff members employed in these units will lose their jobs.

 WhatsApp groups

These units played a critical role in disseminating agrometeorological advisories to district and block-level farmers via WhatsApp groups, offering essential guidance on agricultural practices. For instance, the Agro-Met Unit at Gonikoppal in Kodagu has over 30 WhatsApp groups and 10,000 farmers  are participants. 

The unit provides localised information about the weather forecast and even functions as a call centre where the staff answer all the questions posed by farmers and growers on paddy, coffee, black pepper, ginger, arecanut and orange cultivation. Advisories were also sent about livestock maintenance. 

Weather summary report, temperature, humidity and rainfall forecast data is disseminated every Tuesday and Friday. These weather bulletins are also accessible to farmers through the Meghdooth app.

Significant risk to farmers

The closure of these Agro-Met Units poses a significant risk to farmers who rely on these advisories for their day-to-day agricultural activities. Moreover, the absence of such forecast could lead to substantial losses for farmers, particularly in regions prone to weather-related challenges like landslides and flash floods.

The Agro-Met Unit at Gonikoppal in Kodagu was set up as the district receives the highest rainfall and the patterns are different in each of the five taluks. Also, farmers need localised information to plan their crops, harvest, irrigation, remove weeds, dry and do other activities. Apart from weekly reports, daily alerts are supplied by this Agro-Met Unit in case of sudden developments in weather.  

The advisory services are crucial for coffee growers, as they offer forecasts up to five days in advance and accurately predict heavy rainfall three hours beforehand. These alerts were not only beneficial to farmers but also served as essential tools for the district administration.

Authorities utilised this information to initiate actions such as evacuating people from flood-prone areas and implementing preventive measures. Additionally, these forecasts facilitated timely decisions by local authorities, including school closures, to mitigate the impact of adverse weather conditions.

No local but only district-level advisories from March 1

With the discontinuation of these Agro-Met Units, the responsibility for local forecasting now rests heavily on automatic field units like the Agro-Meteorological Field Unit (AMFU) at the Organic Farming Research Station in Naganahalli (OFRSN), Mysuru or the existing KVKs. 

However, these units may only cover districts rather than the smaller administrative units like taluks and blocks, as done by the Agro-Met Units. Farmers are worried that district-level advisories may not adequately address the specific needs of all areas, leaving certain regions without sufficient guidance for their agricultural activities. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore, S.K. Chengappa, Agro-Met Observer at ICAR-KVK in Gonikoppal, Kodagu, expressed deep concern over the closure of Agro-Met Units, emphasising the substantial loss incurred by farmers and horticultural communities. 

He highlighted the efficiency and structured approach of the Agro-Met Units, with plans underway to extend their reach to the Gram Panchayat level. He said that while farmers may still access district-level information starting March 1, the absence of localised, taluk-level and village-level information will create a significant gap in essential agricultural guidance.

“As of now, we do not have staff or resources to continue the Agro-Met Unit. Will have to see how to continue the local farmers’ assistance,” said Virendra Kumar, a scientist at ICAR-KVK in Gonikoppal.

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2024 Parliamentary Election: Whither Opposition and Congress?

The Parliamentary election 2024 is only a couple of months away and the nation is experiencing a new kind of election fever which we have not seen except in 1977, the post-Emergency Parliamentary election. Then, as expected, the newly cobbled up Opposition parties, under the dynamic and well-accepted leadership of Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan (JP)  called Janata Party, took on the Congress party and won.

The present BJP in its older avatar at that time known as Bharatiya Jana Sangh was almost an apology of a political party compared to its other partners namely Congress (O), Socialist Party of India (of Raj Narain and George Fernandes), Bharatiya Lok Dal (of Charan Singh, who was posthumously given Bharat Ratna this year) and Swatantra Party (of C. Rajagopalachari and ‎Minoo Masani). Together, these parties, which were a part of Janata Morcha, a political movement known as ‘Total Revolution’ led by Jayaprakash Narayan, became  Janata Party.

During the election campaign, Indira Gandhi called this Janata Party as a ‘strange animal’ and a ‘khichdi’ party without any political or moral principles. She called the Janata Party as an ‘opportunistic party.’ Indira Gandhi was prophetic in her utterances and tirade against the Janata Party. The Janata Party which won the election and formed the government soon came apart as its Central leadership could not hold those disparate parties together with each party asserting its own political and economic ideology. Naturally, things fall apart when Centre cannot hold.

Leaders of these coalition political parties were too ambitious to become Prime Ministers and looking for an excuse, no matter how frivolous it was. A replay of a similar political acrobatics was seen when Rajiv Gandhi was defeated in 1989 and V.P. Singh became the Prime Minister poisoning the nation with Mandal Commission. Its pernicious effect on our country’s earlier healthy reservation policy is impacting on our society even now.

Before Mandal Commission,  the evil of caste system was just an undercurrent in electoral politics. But thereafter it brazenly surfaced in the elections throwing up many caste-based satraps in States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. No wonder we are hearing the hoarse voices for caste census which will surely perpetuate caste system for all time to come as long as there is electoral politics in our country.

If anyone is to be blamed for this anti-social development, it is our politicians who strut around calling for the abolition of the caste system, but doing nothing about it. We are marching towards an age of reason and societal enlightenment where socially every citizen is of equal status, mutually respected and treated with dignity. But see, what our politicians have done. Their greed for power has seared the souls of the socially discriminated and deprived sections of our citizens. Therefore, we need no more political leaders now. There are enough of them. The need of the hour is for social reformers like Mahatma Gandhi, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Subramania Bharati, Swami Vivekananda, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayananda Saraswati, Narayana Guru and others.

However, unless the caste factor with its identities is erased from electoral politics, we will never have a fair and free election. Therefore, we need tall social reformers who will reform our politicians  to eschew caste factor in elections completely. Is it an utopian idea?

Be that as it may, let us take a peek into the election that is at our doors. As I mentioned, the Opposition coalition in the past, in 1977 and 1989, won the election. To that extent at least it was a successful political strategy, though it committed harakiri soon after forming the government.

But see what is happening to  a similar coalition launched to face the BJP (rather Modi!) in the 2024 election. The I.N.D.I. Alliance is a still-born baby. Look at the way I.N.D.I. Alliance is coming apart, exploding. It is said that the strength of a chain depends on its weakest link. But here it seems all its links are weak except the one —Congress! And Congress itself seems to be at large, its Prime Ministerial candidate walking the Indian Roads in all directions on a journey to nowhere.

An angry young man, who had the audacity to tear to smithereens his own UPA government’s notification at a press conference in Delhi, he is going to take on Modi in 2024 Parliamentary elections alone, like a One-Man Army without foot soldiers. And worse that his high-ranking officers are deserting him one after the other. Yesterday’s Deccan Herald had given a list of them by name with an apt sub-heading “Never-ending list” and at the last count there were 34 and still counting.

Well, but “Who is afraid of Virginia Wolf?” Or “Who is afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?” Not Rahul Gandhi, of course. Among those who deserted the sinking Congress Boat are many honourable, loyal Congressmen like for example Supreme Court Advocate Kapil Sibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Amarinder Singh,  Jyotiraditya Scindia and Milind Deora. Yes, others might have left to save their skin from ED.

However, should Congress High Command lose these senior honchos at a critical time of Parliamentary election? No. Rahul Gandhi’s great-grandfather Nehru or his grandmother Indira Gandhi and even his father Rajiv Gandhi (who spoke in a public meeting in Mumbai about ending the evil of power-brokers in Congress and then compromised) would not have allowed these stalwarts to leave the party? Didn’t Nehru stop Gen. K.S. Thimayya from resigning despite V.K. Krishna Menon? But Rahul has guts. He simply shunned these people with a ‘Couldn’t care for you’ attitude saying “People who are leaving tomorrow, should go today itself.”

Now over to the 2024 Parliamentary election.

e-mail: voice@starofmysore.com

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Peripheral Ring Road, Airport runway expansion, Road Under Bridge near Crawford Hall, KRS Road

Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for repurposing and rebranding several projects initiated by the Central and former Karnataka BJP Government, presenting them as his own in the recent State Budget for 2024-2025.

“Many of the projects announced by Siddaramaiah were originally brought to Mysuru by me (as the MP) with sanctions and funds secured from the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre and Basavaraj Bommai’s BJP Government in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah has essentially copied these projects and reintroduced them as his own in the Budget, thereby deceiving the people of Mysuru,” stated the MP in a press release.

Road Under Bridge

Citing several projects as examples, the MP Pratap Simha pointed out that Siddaramaiah has blatantly copied them to claim credit, even though they were not initiated by him.

“The Centre has already allocated Rs. 42.14 crore for the Road Under Bridge (RUB) project near the Crawford Hall on the Kukkarahalli-Bogadi Road to alleviate traffic congestion. This project was initiated at the Mysuru-Chamarajanagar level crossing 1. However, Siddaramaiah has announced the same project as ‘Road Over Bridge’ (ROB),” Pratap Simha explained.

Similarly, a grant of Rs. 42.88 crore has been approved by the Centre for a Road Under Bridge on KRS Road near Royal Inn Junction, specifically targeting level crossing 5. Yet again, this project has been rebranded as a  Road Under Bridge.

The Basavaraj Bommai Government had allocated Rs. 319.3 crore in the Budget to facilitate the upgrading of the Mysore Airport runway to accommodate larger flights. “This allocation was specifically designated for land acquisition purposes. A total of Rs. 276.13 crore has already been disbursed in four stages, with Rs. 43 crore remaining pending. However, Siddaramaiah has now included and repurposed the same project in his Budget announcement,” Pratap Simha remarked.

Peripheral Ring Road

The Peripheral Ring Road project, envisioned to accommodate Mysuru city’s anticipated growth over the next 50 years, was originally conceptualised by the BJP Government at the Centre, he noted.

“Former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Chairman H.V. Rajeev, Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar and myself (as the MP) had met Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. Following Gadkari’s suggestion, the Basavaraj Bommai Government allocated Rs. 10 crore to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Although the DPR preparation is underway, Siddaramaiah has rebranded the Peripheral Ring Road project as his own and included it in his Budget announcement,” the MP stated.

Filling lakes and ponds

“In 2023, the then BJP Government under CM Basavaraj Bommai allocated Rs. 85 crore for a project ratified by the Cabinet on March 24. This initiative aimed to provide drinking water to 49 lakes and ponds in Hunsur, sourced from the Lakshmanatheertha River at Maradoor village. Tenders for the project have already been initiated. However, amusingly, Siddaramaiah has now relaunched this project in the Budget,” Pratap Simha stated.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru Regional Commissioner G.C. Prakash, who is also the MCC (Mysuru City Corporation) Administrative Officer, presented a Rs.1,067.06 crore budget of the civic body  for the year 2024-25 here yesterday.

The budget lays emphasis on green initiatives like disposal of legacy waste, recycling of plastic, installation of solar power panels and Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) theme park. The Budget also envisages a slew of projects for the development of the city, including augmentation of water supply, building debris recycling plant and introduction of pay and park system, among others.

The MCC expects a revenue of Rs.1,067.06 crore and proposes an expenditure of Rs.1,060.18 crore, thus leading to a surplus of Rs.6.88 crore for the 2024-25 financial year. In addition, the MCC is expecting a grant of Rs. 25 crore from the Government.

The MCC has projected to collect a revenue of Rs. 204.80 crore through property tax, Rs. 79.85 crore through water tax and UGD fee. Rs. 13.2  crore through building license and other fees, Rs. 6.35 crore from  Trade License, Rs.3.09 crore through rentals from commercial complexes, markets and others in 2024-25.

Green initiatives

The Corporation plans to speed up implementation of bio-mining and re-mediation project, to dispose 6.01 lakh tonnes of legacy waste on 22 acres landfill at Vidyaranyapuram Compost Unit. The MCC has planned to hire 336 more employees via SHGs and NGOs for segregation of solid waste at source and collection.

The civic body has proposed to establish a building debris waste plant on 9.5 acres of land near Sathagalli Bus Depot. It has also planned to build a plastic recycling plant of 50 TPD capacity, under PPP model for scientific disposal of plastics generated in city. Installation of solar panels in three solid waste management plants through CSR funds is also planned.

This apart, there are plans to develop Cheluvamba Park in Vontikoppal as a RWH theme park, in order to create public awareness on rainwater harvesting.

Other plans include adoption of E-office technology at MCC Main Office and all zonal offices,  construction of a new building for MCC Zone-9 Office, which is currently functioning from a MUDA Building in Gayathripuram.

MCC Commissioner Ashaad-ur-Rahman Shariff and other officials were present.

Pay-and-park

The MCC plans to introduce Pay-and-park facility on D. Devaraj Urs Road, multi-level parking complex in Town Hall (Rangacharlu Memorial Hall) premises in the heart of the city and at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry on Vinoba Road, to ease traffic movement. Also, plans are afoot for further improvement of facilities at the Town Hall Multi-Level Parking complex.

Water and UGD

The Underground Drainage (UGD) system will be expanded and a new UGD line stretching to 15 km will be laid at a cost of Rs. 80 crore. There are also plans to develop 35 km main UGD lines by connecting them to sewage treatment plants. Also, the upgradation of Kabini-Kembaalu water treatment plant with 60 MLD to 120 MLD capacity will be taken up this year.

Trin Trin

Trin Trin, the city’s public bicycle-sharing initiative will be expanded in the second phase of the project, which also envisages addition of more docking hubs in the city. The city already has 1,000 pedal assist bicycles, with GPS tracking and 100 docking hubs.

Lakes and parks

The MCC plans to rejuvenate Devanur Lake with treated sewage water from surrounding areas. The civic body plans to develop Kalyanis (Water tanks) at Bogadi Lake, Ayyajayyanahundi, Thippayyanakere and Saraswathipuram comprehensively. The other plans include development of Sainika Park at Dattagalli, park near the Old DC Office building, Kalyanagiri Park, Kadalivana Park and Akbar Ali Park. The other proposals include development of prominent circles of city with CSR funds.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Traffic signboards or signages are essential components of any road infrastructure, serving as vital navigational aids for both tourists and city residents. They convey crucial information to commuters, directing them towards their intended destinations.

Recently, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) installed a huge directional signboard along Hunsur Road, positioned after the Aishwarya Petrol Bunk junction. However, rather than adhering to its primary function of displaying directional information, approximately 75 percent of the signboard’s space is allocated for advertising purposes, prominently featuring contact numbers.

Regulations stipulate that directional indicators and destination markers should dominate the signage, with advertising content confined to a minimal portion of the space. Unfortunately, in this instance, the established proportion has been grossly violated, prioritising advertisement placement over navigational guidance.

Furthermore, the arrangement of direction indicators on the signboard exacerbates the issue. Typically, the names of destinations should be positioned on the left side of the hoarding, facilitating easy viewing for commuters entering Mysuru city from the Hunsur side.

However, in this instance, crucial destinations such as Kalidasa Road, Railway Station, Chamundi Hill, Mysore Palace, SJCE, T.K. Layout and others are inexplicably placed on the extreme right of the signboard, rendering them ineffective for their intended purpose.

This misplacement of the destinations and directions to the right side compels commuters travelling on the left side of the two-way road to look to the right and have to slow down the vehicle to read the signages on this busy road, which is a risky proposition.   

It’s important to note that faulty road signage and signals significantly contribute to traffic congestion, accidents and pile-ups. Deficiencies such as defective traffic signals, improperly positioned signboards — sometimes obscured by foliage — and inconsistent road markings often result in numerous traffic violations.

Hope the authorities will set right this wrong on the signage.

The post Signs of trouble: Misaligned signboards on Hunsur Road appeared first on Star of Mysore.

Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah Budget has announced the construction of a flyover at the junction of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway and Outer Ring Road near Kempegowda Circle, commonly known as the Manipal Hospital Junction, along the Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway, intending to alleviate traffic congestion.

This collaborative effort with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) aims to address the mounting traffic snarls, particularly noticeable since the transformation of the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway to an Expressway last year.

During peak hours, weekends and holidays, the Manipal Hospital junction experiences severe traffic congestion, with trucks, buses, cars and two-wheelers vying for space. Crossing this junction can take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Even before the Expressway upgrade, traffic jams were a common occurrence and the situation has only worsened with the Highway expansion.

The proposed flyover will span the Highway at the Manipal Hospital Junction, intersecting with the Outer Ring Road. The urgent need to transform the junction into a signal-free passageway to ensure the seamless flow of traffic was emphasised in the Budget.

It is worth noting that the NHAI had initially approved a proposal for developing the Hospital Junction into a Clover Leaf Interchange back in 2019. However, this project never materialised, primarily due to its high costs.

It may be recalled here that Minister for Urban Development B.S. Suresh, during his visit to Mysuru in November 2023, engaged with officials to initiate the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the flyover.

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MCC Dog Squad expresses helplessness to visit spot as it has no driver

Mysore/Mysuru: Reports of stray dog attacks, resulting in injuries to both children and adults, have become common, sparking concerns among city residents.

On Thursday, a three-and-a-half-year-old girl child was severely injured in a stray dog attack at Gundurao Nagar on the Mysuru-Nanjangud Road.

The injured child, Varsha, is the daughter of Yogesh, a security guard and Kavya, residents of  5th Cross, Gundurao Nagar. The child is currently receiving treatment at the District Hospital on KRS Road.

Varsha had gone to her grandmother’s house in the neighbourhood and was on way to a nearby shop to buy chocolate when a stray dog attacked her. The dog inflicted bites on her cheeks, ears and head. Following the incident, Varsha’s grandmother rushed her to District Hospital with the help of a neighbour on a two-wheeler.

The doctors, who attended to Varsha, cleaned the wounds, before covering them with bandages and administering injection. She has suffered deep bites on her cheeks and backside of her head, according to her relatives. Later, the child’s father and grandfather also rushed to the hospital where the condition of the baby is said to be stable.

Before attacking the child, the same stray dog had attacked two persons, leaving them with bites, a day before on Wednesday, said the locals at Gundurao Nagar, who vented their anguish on Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) personnel for failing to check the menace of stray dogs.                               

No help from MCC

Despite the traumatic incident of a stray dog attack on the child, efforts to seek assistance from the MCC Control Room were met with disappointment. Upon contacting the MCC Control Room, the cell phone number of the Dog Squad was provided.

However, despite their acknowledgement of the situation, the Dog Squad expressed its inability to visit the spot due to the unavailability of a driver.

Additionally, informing the MCC Health Officer about the incident did not yield any results, according to Santosh, a resident of Gundurao Nagar.

Another incident at Agrahara

A similar incident was reported at Agrahara a few days ago when a stray dog went on a biting spree at Siddappa Circle, Chamaraja Double Road, Thyagaraja Road and Vani Vilas Road. Some of the passersby showed courage and also chased the dog to a distance on their two-wheelers to catch the mongrel but to no avail. The MCC was also informed about the incident, but no action was initiated to curb the menace, said a localite.

Note: This should remind one about the maxim that ‘for want of a nail an empire was lost.’ —Ed

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No crash barrier on a stretch between Gangothri Extension and Chaduranga Road

Mysore/Mysuru: It seems the civic woes related to Bogadi Road is far from over, although the incidents of four lives lost in freak accidents on the same stretch of road still remain fresh in the minds of the people.

In separate cases, three vehicle riders, two two-wheeler riders and another travelling in a goods autorickshaw were killed, after they accidentally rode over the unscientific road hump (removed later) near the main gate of Manasagangothri on Bogadi Road. While in another case, a senior citizen succumbed to the traumatic injuries he had sustained after the branch of a huge tree came crashing down, while riding the scooter a few yards away from University of Mysore junction, on the same Bogadi Road.

Even as the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) authorities have decided to enforce safety measures, the ever busy Bogadi Road continues to lurk danger but at different junctions. If the competent authorities constrict themselves to the job of relaying road humps complying with Indian Roads Congress (IRC) stipulations and other measures, the gaps may surface elsewhere.

A few yards drive after Manasagangothri Junction, there exists Gangothri Extension Junction, that also leads to famous Maruthi Temple. However, the stretch of Bogadi Road between Gangothri Extension Junction and another junction that connects to Chaduranga Road (AIISH main campus), is partly devoid of crash barrier to Gangothri.

A slope area without any barrier between the main road and Gangothri Extension Road, is the new cause for concern among the public who insist on installing a concrete barrier or metal barrier to avoid any crash on the road, that witnesses heavy traffic density.

The slope is estimated to be about 15 feet and if any Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) roll down, the chances of heavy casualty cannot be ignored with the people residing in the low-lying area.

During free time, the children residing in the locality turn the road into a playground. Moreover, there are no sign boards as a precautionary measure, that may turn into a death trap, calling for taking emergent measures to wake up before any tragedy strikes.

According to local residents, Paduvana Road in Gangothri Extension located in the low-lying area has a cement barrier of three to four-feet tall, with boulder stones. As a further measure, footpaths should be built on Bogadi Road along with barriers either of concrete or mesh, to check the possibilities of any road accidents, they added.

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Mysuru has long been renowned worldwide for its vibrant Dasara celebrations. However, now, for sometime to come, Mysuru will also be known as the birthplace of acclaimed sculptor who carved ‘Balak Ram,’ all thanks to the talented artist Arun Yogiraj, a third-generation sculptor from Mysuru.

Arun’s remarkable achievements have made Mysureans proud and has also solidified our city’s reputation as an abode of art and culture.

Arun’s three notable sculptures — the statues of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate in New Delhi, and now, Balak Ram in Ayodhya — stand as a testament to his exceptional skill and dedication.

Star of Mysore Managing Editor Vikram Muthanna spoke to Arun Yogiraj about his sculpting journey. Excerpts…

Star of Mysore (SOM): You have three prestigious sculptures in India. How did you get a breakthrough into North India as not many decision-makers there would know about artisans from the South?

Arun Yogiraj: Our biggest drawback is that we are far away from Delhi and getting access to decision-makers is not easy. I was able to get access to Delhi through the statue of Adi Shankaracharya, commissioned by Jindal Steel Works (JSW) through a CSR fund.

The company had taken up the restoration works of Adi Shankaracharya’s Samadhi, which was damaged in floods. JSW contacted various States asking for names of stone artists.

In Karnataka, they approached Dr. Mohanrao B. Panchal, Head, Department of Visual Arts, Kannada University, Hampi, who referred the names of five artists and I was one among them.

The company asked the artists to submit a 2-foot tall model of Shankaracharya. The models were presented to Prime Minister Modi and he liked my model. Later, I received a call informing me that my model was selected and was asked to sculpt the bigger statue.

SOM: It is said, you almost didn’t get to sculpt Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue. What happened?

Arun Yogiraj: I was in discussion to sculpt Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue. In the meantime, a meeting with the Prime Minister was pending as the PM wanted to meet me personally after the installation of Adi Shankaracharya’s statue in Kedarnath.

The meeting kept getting postponed. So I requested our Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha to help me.

Since I had agreed to sculpt the statue of Subhas Chandra Bose, I had sculpted a miniature stone idol of Netaji. By this time, Pratap Simha got an appointment with the PM. He then not only helped me carry the small statue of Netaji in the plane despite weight restrictions but also made me stay at his MP residence in Delhi.

During our meeting, PM Modi enquired about the progress of Netaji’s statue. I informed him that I had not received any work order and that some people were approaching me for subcontract work for Netaji’s statue! 

The PM was surprised and immediately instructed Union Minister Pralhad V. Joshi to set the matter right.

After this, Union Minister for Culture G. Kishan Reddy was summoned. Even he was shocked to learn that I had not received any work order. Both Pralhad Joshi and Pratap Simha followed up and finally, I received the work order on June 13, 2022.

If I had not spoken to our MP and had he not got the Prime Minister’s appointment immediately, I would have missed my chance to sculpt Netaji’s statue. It would have probably been sculpted by someone else and credit would have gone to some other person who didn’t even sculpt it as it would have been subcontracted.

How Arun Yogiraj got selected to sculpt Balak Ram

SOM: How did you get selected to sculpt Balak Ram’s idol?

Arun Yogiraj: It all started with the search for the artist in January 2023. Three sculptors from Karnataka and another from Rajasthan, who are known to me, were informed about the work. But I was not informed.

I was disappointed that even though I had completed two national projects (Netaji and Adi Shankaracharya), I was not informed. But I consoled myself saying that I had already completed two major national projects, so it’s okay.

But then in April 2023, a meeting was held at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to finalise the artists who will sculpt Balak Ram. In that meeting, IGNCA Member-Secretary Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, who had personally seen my work in Delhi, was surprised not to see my name in the list of artists shortlisted to sculpt Balak Ram. Dr. Joshi then asked the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to invite me to immediately present my work.

I was called overnight to Delhi. A few weeks later, 11 artists were shortlisted and three of them were finalised, I was one among them.

SOM: What style of sculpting did you decide on? 

Arun Yogiraj: I had to connect both North and South India and the black stone idol connects well with the Southern part. While sculpting the idol, I ensured that the jewellery was carved in Hoysala style. The attire was sculpted in  North Indian style and again the ‘kankana’ was sculpted in South style.

Lord Hanuman and Garuda have been sculpted in Tamil Nadu style. The Dashavathara has been sculpted with reference to North Indian temples. The Balak Ram idol is an amalgamation of the best Indian styles since the idol belongs to the entire nation.

SOM: What was your routine in Ayodhya when you were sculpting? 

Arun Yogiraj: The first day of work began by offering ‘puja’ to the stone as per rituals. The sculpting works began with offering ‘shila puja’ and tying ‘kankana’ to our hand which restricts us from taking up other works until the completion of work in progress. I made sure the ‘kankana’ was also tied to the hammer that I used for sculpting the idol.

For us, it was only ‘Satwik’ food that was allowed to be consumed. We were provided with sprouts every day, as we needed a lot of protein to go with our physical work. We were also taught yoga but when my first idol of Balak Ram was rejected, I stopped yoga as I was working in double shifts to carve another one.

SOM: You said that your first idol was rejected. Can you explain?

Arun Yogiraj: The first sculpture was 70 percent complete when a certain test conducted turned negative. Periodic tests are conducted to see the integrity of the rock. Owing to the rejection of the first idol, I lost three months.

Later, I started to sculpt another idol in September with another stone, also brought from Mysuru. Initially, I felt a bit nervous as I had lost time but on the other hand, I got clarity of what I needed to create.

Sculptor’s Studio in Mysuru

SOM: Tell us about your team which worked with you in Ayodhya.

Arun Yogiraj: I had my team members Nagaraju, Cheluvaraju, Siddaraju, Kumaresh and Jagadish, some of whom have worked with us for almost 30 years.

My team worked in batches, when one batch left after working on the pedestal, a new team would arrive to assist me in the design works.

SOM: The eyes of Balak Ram in some photos seemed to glow, is there some effect that you have given them?

Arun Yogiraj: There is no special effect given to the eyes. We apply ghee, honey and sugar to the eyes and cover them as part of the rituals. Some ghee and honey might have remained on the eyes on the day of consecration so maybe when they photographed it, light refraction may have given it a glow (laughs). On a serious note, we do not apply any chemicals, glass etc. It’s just an etched-stone effect.

SOM: Why did you use silver hammer & gold chisel to sculpt the eyes?

Arun Yogiraj: It is mentioned in Shilpashastra to use a silver hammer and golden chisel and a particular time (muhurta) is fixed for ‘Nethramilana’ (carving of eyes). In the case of Balak Ram, the muhurta was fixed by the head priest Ganesha Acharya.

Before sculpting the eyes, I took a dip in the Sarayu River, which was about 4-5 degrees Celsius, and visited the Hanuman Garhi (Hanuman Temple) before sculpting the eyes. We first inscribe the ‘beejakshara mantra’ on the uncarved blank eyes before we begin sculpting the eyes.

SOM: What is the actual height of the Balak Ram idol and what was the height and weight of the stone?

Arun Yogiraj: The height of the idol is 77 inches, 42 inches in width and it is 2-ft in thickness. The rock that was used was about 9½ ft in height and weighed 13,000 kgs. Now the idol weighs about 2,000 kgs.

SOM: Was there a regular inspection while you were working on the idol?

Arun Yogiraj: There were regular inspections being done for all three idols sculpted by different artists. The Committee Members were sensible as they used to visit all three sculptors without giving room for any suspicion of favouritism.

SOM: Apart from inspection by the Committee, we heard there was regular inspection by a monkey.

Arun Yogiraj: There were a lot of monkeys in Ayodhya near the studio where we were sculpting. But every day, a monkey would visit the studio between 5 pm and 6 pm and bang the door. I am not sure whether it was the same monkey though. I even have the video of the monkey roaming around in the studio. I don’t want to give it a connotation that it was a ‘divine visit.’ But all the same, it was an interesting coincidence.

SOM: Is there a copyright on Balak Ram? Can you produce miniatures to sell?

Arun Yogiraj: Actually, I told the Trust Members to copyright Balak Ram. Then MP Pratap Simha had the idea that if Ayodhya Trust can have the copyright and make miniatures of Balak Ram, it should tie up with the Karnataka Government to send black stone from Mysuru from which it can make these miniatures rendering them more authentic and worthy of the copyright.

Pratap Simha felt if this is done, then the Ayodhya Trust will get funds, sculptors will get continuous work, Karnataka will have a new revenue stream and Mysuru will also become famous as the Balak Ram miniature models made using the stone from Mysuru will be in millions of households across the nation and world.

Bringing Stones to Life

SOM: Now that you have achieved a great feat, there must be a lot of demand for your work. How are you managing it?

Arun Yogiraj: I have indeed been getting a lot of orders from across the world, especially from the USA and South Africa, both for idols and other works.

But I know my capacity and I cannot fulfil so many orders. So, I tell customers that it takes quite some time for me to complete a statue. If they are comfortable with that, then I take up the work else I provide them the contact of other artists. Also, it is good to have the work of different artists.

SOM: Are you running an institution to guide budding sculptors?

Arun Yogiraj: Yes, I am running a school called Bramharshi Kashyapa Shilpakala Shala, which now has 7 full-time students and during summer camps, children join us to learn line drawing, pottery and other arts.

I am planning to construct two additional rooms in my studio for the benefit of the students. Currently, I am not charging any fees because I want to give back to the profession which has given me so much.

SOM: Who should our readers contact if they are interested in learning sculpting?

Arun Yogiraj: Interested can contact my brother Yeshwanth on Mob: 99451-51505.

Making Mysuru proud…

For the foreseeable future, Arun Yogiraj will continue to enjoy widespread popularity as the man who sculpted the idol of Balak Ram. Despite his acclaim, Arun Yogiraj remains remarkably humble and transparent in his artistic approach, the qualities that undoubtedly contribute to his mastery.

Michelangelo, the great Italian sculptor, once said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Arun Yogiraj not only discovers it, he seems to almost bring it to life. He certainly brought a sense of divinity to the Balak Ram statue and in doing so, brought a lot of attention to Mysuru, reminding the world that our city still has it — artists and culture.

[Pic. by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]

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