Freedom garden of Shivamogga

SHIVAMOGGA: Some people holding flags and going in a protest, some busy ploughing the field or harvesting. Forget the wax statues of Madame Tussauds. These cement sculptures of Esuru freedom heroes and farmers, at Anjanapura garden in Shikaripura taluk of Shivamogga district, are so lifelike that you will think they are real.

The Esuru freedom struggle, the uprising of the people in 1942 against the British government, has been recreated here. At zthe entrance of the garden, you can find poignant scenes of the hanging of five heroes. The garden, dedicated to the freedom fighters and constructed opposite Anjanapura dam, also depicts the culture and history of Shikaripur. It is now attracting thousands of tourists every week. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s launching of ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ in Ahmedabad to mark the celebrations ahead of India’s 75 years of Independence brings the focus back to Esuru.

Esuru was the first village to declare itself independent way back in 1942. After Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement on August 8, 1942, demanding an end to the British rule of India, the villagers started a peaceful movement. The villagers today take pride in narrating those stories of courage. According to the Gazetteer of India, from August 17, 1942, onwards, people showed great courage. Processions were carried out in the village every day with slogans like ‘do not pay taxes’ and ‘burn the account books of gaudas and shanbhogues’.

On September 25, when two village officers came for tax collection and preparation of pahani (revenue record that contains all the details of a land), the village youths seized their registers. The next day the villagers put up a sign board declaring the village ‘free’ of British rule. When the officers visited the village again, the villagers insisted that they wear the Gandhi cap. A riot followed which led to the death of both the officers. After the incident, the British seized the village and arrested the freedom fighters. Of them, Gurappa, Jinahalli Mallappa, Suryanarayanachar, Badakalli Halappa and Goudru Shankarappa were hanged in March 1943.

The garden has been constructed on 6.34 acres of land, downstream of Anjanapura dam site. According to Malnad Area Development Board (MADB) chairman K S Gurumurthy, a proposal was sent to the government to build a garden near Anjanapura dam and to dedicate it to Esuru freedom fighters. The funds were sought from Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited. According to Assistant Executive Engineer Manjunath, the state government had given administrative approval on June 23, 2012, and the technical sanction on August 23, 2012. The garden, constructed at a cost of Rs 6.90 crore, was completed in March 2018 and was inaugurated in July 2018.

 Aditya Construction Company of Belagavi constructed the garden on the lines of the one at Gotagodi of Shiggaon taluk of Haveri district. Dr T B Solabakkanavar, renowned artist, conceptualised the garden, according to Manjunath. The garden has beautiful landscaping, well-maintained pathway (walkway), fountains,  children’s playground with equipment, pergolas and the well-shaped plants, shrubs and trees.

The centre of attraction is the cement sculptures. Apart from those of freedom heroes and farmers, you have sculptures of artistes performing folk dances like Kolata and Dollu Kunita .Ramesh, working in a private company and a tourist from Pandavapura, says. “We need gardens which educate our children on history. A friend in Shikaripur suggested that I take my children to this garden. The sculptures look so life-like.”

Garden inaugurated in July 2018
1,500 Tourists per day visit garden on  normal days
30,000 Tourists visit during the monsoon as they also want to see the water level in the dam

GREEN FILE
There is no entry fee
Garden is open only on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays
On the other days, maintenance works are taken up