Iconic ‘Kalasha’ at Mahaveera Circle to be rebuilt: Works to begin soon

Mangaluru: The wheels have started turning to reconstruct the big “kalasha” that used to be the cynosure of the Mahaveera Circle at Pumpwell.

It is gathered that the Kalasha will be rebuilt by the Jain community again at a spot next to the flyover at Pumpwell a bit away from the earlier giant kalasha once stood.

Locals had vehemently opposed the dismantling of the original kalasha to make way for the flyover. Though it was promised to rebuild the kalasha after the flyover got complete, it has still remained a distant dream, especially for the Jain community that had built the beautiful monument.

The Jain Society and community started building the giant Kalasha in January 2003 after the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) renamed the Pumpwell circle to “Mahaveera Circle” to commemorate the 2600th birth anniversary of the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism. Around Rs 12 lakhs were spent at the time to erect the “Mangala Kalasha” weighing a whopping 20 tonnes on a 43 cents piece of land in the middle of the Pumpwell circle. The refurbished Mahaveera Circle with the beautiful monument was completed in 6 months.

The kalasha, which has been neglected and languishing ever since it was moved, will be rebuilt at the island created at the Pumpwell-Padil turn on the highway. the entire cost of the project will be borne by the Jain community, said Pushparaj Jain of Bharatiya Jain Milan.

A letter has been sent to MCC in this regard and discussions are moving ahead, added.

MCC Mayor Premanand Shetty confirmed that a petition has been received from the Jain community for rebuilding the iconic kalasha. He assured assistance for getting the required clearances for the project.