3.5-tonne Jatayu sculpture in Ayodhya required extensive research: Sculptor

Ayodhya, Jan 24 (PTI) A 3.5-tonne statue of mythical bird Jatayu, installed atop the Kuber Tila in Ayodhya, took three months to make, including two months of extensive research, its sculptor said.

The statue, sculpted by noted artist Ram Sutar, sits majestically over an 8-ft base on a mound in the Ram temple complex.

"It stands 20-ft tall, and spans 8-ft in length and 8-ft in width, weighing 3.5 tonnes. It is a matter of great happiness that it now finds a place in Ayodhya," his son, Anil Ram Sutar told PTI here.

The father-son duo attended the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22.

Ram Sutar, who turns 99 in February, has sculpted some of the most iconic statues of India, including the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.

Anil Sutar, 66, said he assisted his father in making the statue of Jatayu – a memorable character in the Ramayana – at their studio in Noida, from where it was transported in a truck to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

"It is made up of alloy with 85 per cent copper, 5 per cent tin, 5 per cent zinc, and 5 per cent lead," Anil said.

In the Ramayana, Jatayu was killed by Ravana while he was trying to save Goddess Sita.

Anil said two months were spent on extensive research and finding references of the bird in the scriptures for the statue.

"We studied the anatomy of a vulture and prepared small models first, and finally executed the work in the last month," he added.

The 66-year-old sculptor said different pieces of the sculptural work were "welded together" before being sent to Ayodhya.

The Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra's general secretary Champat Rai had told reporters on December 26 that a statue of Jatayu had been installed on Kuber Tila in the Ram temple complex in Ayodhya.

After taking part in the rituals of the consecration ceremony at Ram temple here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday had visited the Kuber Tila and offered prayers to Lord Shiva there. Modi said the Jatayu’s sense of duty is the basis of a capable and divine India.

"We felt very good when the PM offered flowers to the statue of Jatayu," Anil said.

Anil added that an 85-ft statue of legendary Ahom General Lachit Borphukan has also been "completed" by his father, and it is expected to be unveiled in Assam next month.

Borphukan was a commander in the erstwhile Ahom kingdom and is known for his leadership in the 1671 battle of Saraighat that thwarted an attempt by Mughals to capture Assam. The 'Battle of Saraighat' was fought on the banks of Brahmaputra in Guwahati. PTI