Sculptor Naresh Kumawat is the man behind installing life size alloy sculpture ‘Samudra Manthan’ at new Parliament building
It took 10 months of burning the candle at both ends by Kumawat and his team to bring the stunning mural (75 feet long and 9 feet tall) to life inside the state-of-the-art building, designed by famed Indian architect Bimal Patel.
Constructed as a part of Central Vista project, new Parliament building reflects the culture, pride, and spirit of the country which is further embodied by the sturdy mural adorning Lok Sabha Lok Sabha wall in the central foyer where the cultural gallery is located,
Samudra manthan or The churning of Sea depicts the most signifcant episodes in Vishnu Puran, which led to the incarnation of divine angels, and many gems, including the divine nectar of immortality known as Amrit.
According to Kumawat, the idea behind creating the ‘Samudra Manthan’ mural inside the new parliament building signified the churning of ideas and thoughts for public welfare.
About 10 months ago, Kumawat were advised by the Ministry of Culture and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to design something on the theme of Indianised version of Angkor Wat and Samudra Manthan.
After undertaking the task, the sculptor and his team drew a few sketches and small mock models that were further improved and modified as per the requirements of the parliament.
Then he created a final clay model in his studio, which was again observed and improved by the concerned authorities, that after approval was replicated in panchdhatu – a composition of brass, lead, tin, magnesium, and titanium.
The life size mural came about after coalescing around 40 separate pieces. Being one of the longest murals in this particular medium, it depicts 235 sculptures of gods and goddesses.
Apart of this, the artist has also created a massive 25 ft tall spherical medallion featuring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and BR Ambedkar at AshwaDwar – the main entry of all the dignitaries. This mural is depicting the ideology of ‘Ek Bharat, Sreshth Bharat’.
Having graced the exhibition in more than 80 countries, Kumawat’s work has a reputation among the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. They approach him frequently with specific mural designs customised to their exquisite needs.
