Begur lake to have towering Shiva statue

In a boost to the historic hamlet of Begur near Bommanahalli, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has approved to install one of the tallest statues of Lord Shiva on the Begur lake.

The statue will be similar to Shiv Smarak off the Mumbai coast and will be the biggest tourist attraction to the historical hamlet that is struggling to cope amidst rapid urbanization. It also coincides with efforts to preserve the hamlet’s historical sites.

Having obtained approval from BBMP council a couple of days ago, those proposing the project now await clearance from Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) before going ahead.

“Begur village and its temples go back to the Chola era,” Begur ward corporator M Anjanappa told DH.

“We’re currently desilting the 137.24 acre lake at a cost of Rs 10 crore. Once the rejuvenation is over, the Shiva statue will be installed at the centre of the lake.” Engineers said the lake will feature three islands.

“Two of them will be left for birds with lots of fruit bearing trees. The other island will have the standing statue of Shiva and a jetty. We’re sourcing the 20-feet tall statue from experts in Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu,” Anjanappa said.

Officials hope to finish the lake rejuvenation by the 2019 monsoon season. While the BBMP would bear the rejuvenation cost, money for the statue will be collected from donors.

“The lake will have Rajagopuras on all its four sides, reliving its history dating back to the Chola period. The Nageshwara temple on the banks of the lake will also be an added attraction,” said a senior BBMP engineer.

He said the lake will have walking and jogging tracks with mini gardens on all its four sides to attract tourists.