The city of Vadodara, or 'Kalanagari,' is known for its prominent traffic islands- each of which features an art sculpture as an identity marker. These old artistic sculptures are not mere statues but aesthetic artifacts of great artistic vision, thanks to the city's famous art institutes and the talented artists it has produced. These traffic islands have always been famous landmarks, deeply cherished by the people of Vadodara for decades.

Many of the traffic island sculptures hold not only sentimental value but also high artistic value due to their legacy and craftsmanship, adding to the artistic identity of our city. The Genda Circle, designed by Narottam Luhar in the 1990s, is one such landmark. The rhino sculpture was made from scrap metal from the Sayaji Iron and Engineering Company Ltd (SIECL) plant. The company's founder, Indubhai Patel, commissioned the sculpture in the 1970s. Sculptor Narottamdas Kavaiya, better known as Narottam Luhar, created it by carefully welding together pieces of scrap metal that weighed around three tonnes, forming the shape of the rhino.

Recently, this iconic landmark, along with several others, has been replaced by low-quality sculptures installed indiscriminately and without public consensus. Local news reports stated that the rhino sculpture was removed because it was rusted and would be reinstalled at Harni Sculpture Park. However, restoring these majestic old sculptures and reinstalling them under the guidance of experts is both feasible and essential. Many local experts in the city are eager to participate and contribute their expertise to this process.

TOI Article | Barodians want their Genda back

 

 

Picture Credits : Himanshu Joshi

We believe that as these islands contribute to the city's identity, their design and beautification should be managed with care. Therefore, we propose that an art committee consisting of renowned artists, architects, town planners, and other experts from the city be constituted. This committee would be able to judge the artistic quality of any artwork placed in public spaces in the city.

With these considerations in mind, we, the people of Vadodara, including artists, professionals from various fields, and signatories of this petition, present the following appeals to the officials of Vadodara Municipal Corporation : 

1.    Restore the original Metal Rhinoceros sculpture to its former location. If needed for city development, we advocate for the careful repair or slight modification of these iconic Vadodara artworks under the supervision of artists and experts.

2.    Establish an Art Committee tasked with evaluating the artistic merit of public artworks installed on the city’s traffic islands and making recommendations for their design and beautification measures.

The traffic islands have long been a part of the city’s identity, and it is our hope as citizens to preserve them for generations to come.  Restoring the original sculptures will ensure that the city's public art reflects the high standards of Vadodara's artistic community. Alongside this, establishing a committee will ensure that future decisions about public art involve community stakeholders, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among residents.

Requesting VMC officials for their cooperation 

Yours faithfully, 
Citizens of Vadodara