Pics: Have Bharat Darshan in Delhi park from March

NEW DELHI: Amid the hustle and bustle, honking of vehicles and traffic jams on Ring Road near Punjabi Bagh crematorium, about 17 artists from across of country have congregated to give life and unique shapes to scrap material, such as metal, plastic, tyres, broken mosaic tiles and glass sheets. Undeterred by the mayhem, they have been calmly designing the art pieces to ensure they look perfect and beautiful.

Replica of Stone Chariot, Hampi

Welcome to the under-construction Bharat Darshan Park, a tourist destination conceived by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).With the target of March 2021 in mind, workers of the civic agency and the artists have been working meticulously to give a final shape to 35 replicas of famous monuments from various states.

Replica of Mysore Palace

The replicas include Charminar, Gateway of India, Sun Temple at Konark, Khajuraho temple, Nalanda monuments, Mysore Palace, Golden Temple, Meenakshi temple, Hawa Mahal, Hampi, Victoria Memorial, Sanchi Stupa, Gol Gumbaz, Ajanta Ellora caves, Mahabat Maqbara at Junagarh Fort, Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, among others.
“Initially, the plan was to create replicas of 17 monuments from 14 states. But LG Anil Baijal directed that we add 18 more structures from the remaining states to give a complete feel of India. That’s why the deadline of the project was extended from October this year to March 2021,” said SDMC commisioner Gyanesh Bharti.

Replica of Taj Mahal
While four replicas are nearly complete, work is in progress on the remaining 28. When TOI visited the place, it found a replica of the carved stone chariot at the 7th century Vijaya Vitthala Temple in Hampi, Karnataka, at one end of the park. It was halfway done and artist Zakhir Khan was busy carving the rest. He had 3D images and detailed graphics defining every carving in detail.
“We are doing everything minutely, be it the idol size or zigzag shape of the chariot. We are mainly using automobile spare parts. For making elephant trunks, we have used silencers of cars. The chariot wheels are made of high-mast streetlight poles and other details with motorcycle chains,”’ said Khan from Delhi College of Art.

Replica of Sanchi Stupa
All 12 domes of the Mysore Palace replica have been made out of automobile gears, while the walls have been created out of sheets of hawkers’ stalls. “To recreate the miniatures, nuts and bolts of trucks and cars are being used,” said an SDMC official. The 48-foot structure is among three of the widest replicas at the park.

Replica of Qutub Minar
The bricks of the replica of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata have been made with iron strips of benches. “Bicycle rims have been used for creating the domes. The work is nearly 50% complete,” said Krunal Kehar, an artist from The Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda. He is also working on the Nalanda University replica by taking references from history books.

Replica of Gol Gumbaz
“The focus of the Sanchi Stupa replica will be on the four gates that tell the story of Lord Buddha. We will create them from metal sheets. We have given electricity pipes the shape of a dome for the main structure,” said Kamar Alam, an artist from Delhi College of Art.

Replica of Meenakshi Temple
In the Golden Temple structure, a waterbody would be created around a 50-foot structure and golden hues would be given using scrap brass and golden dust.
(Photo courtesy: Yogesh Kumar)