Mysuru sculptor’s statue earns place in Kedarnath  

MYSURU:  A new feather has been added to the cap of a Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj after one of his sculptures a 12-foot tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya (in picture) is slated to be installed at the Shankaracharya Samadhi at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

Arun, a well-known name in the field of sculpture is a fifth-generation sculptor from the city of palaces, has the credit of sculpting statues of Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and many others which have become landmark circles in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who showed interest in the restoration project in Kedarnath, decided to install a statue of Adi Shankaracharya. Many sculptors across the country were invited. Arun, who had made a two-feet tall stone idol as a model, impressed the PMO, following which he was roped in for the job. The project began last year and Arun, along with his team of nine assistants, worked over the statue for the last several months.

The statue is sculpted using the Krishna Shile black stone which the sculptor claims can withstand vagaries of nature. He and his team are busy giving final touches to the statue and are planning to transport it by in the next four days.