Crown from Queen Victoria’s statue found broken in Bengaluru's Cubbon Park

Bengaluru: The crown of Queen Victoria’s statue in Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park mysteriously went missing on Monday, the Department of Horticulture confirmed.

Broken fragments of the crown were discovered on the ground near the statue by passersby, who alerted Heritage Beku, a Bengaluru-based NGO dedicated to preserving the city’s monuments.

The Horticulture Department has collected the broken pieces and initiated efforts to restore the crown to its original form. However, the cause of the damage remains unclear, as there are no CCTV cameras monitoring the colonial-era landmark.

Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, founder of Heritage Beku, pointed out that the crown’s disappearance might have gone unnoticed due to the statue’s height of 11 feet.

“One would need to be on a bus or a larger vehicle to notice the missing crown,” she said, adding that the Horticulture Department was receptive to their concerns.

G Kusuma, Deputy Director of Horticulture, assured that all possible efforts are being made to restore the crown. She noted that the monument falls under the purview of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The department has sought assistance from the Department of Archaeology, Heritage, and Museums for the restoration work.

Museum Director D Smitha emphasised the importance of preserving the crown’s originality. “The crown, made of white marble, must retain its authenticity during restoration. We are consulting heritage and monument experts to determine if the broken pieces can be repaired. If not, a new crown will be commissioned, ensuring fidelity to the original design,” she said.

The statue, a major colonial-era relic, was unveiled on February 5, 1906, by George Frederick Ernest Albert, the then Prince of Wales. Efforts are now focused on restoring this historic monument to its former glory.