Portraits in Soudha to get new lease of life

Assembly takes up initiative to restore paintings at B5 lakh with INTACH’s help ; work to be done in six months

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has decided to give a new lease of life to the portraits of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and some other paintings by renowned artists displayed in Vidhana Soudha.
The portraits and paintings displayed in the Central Hall, office of the Speaker, ante-chambers of ministers have lost their sheen due to improper maintenance. Taking note of the valuable art works, the Legislative Assembly has taken the initiative to restore them with the help of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) at the cost of `5 lakh.

Clockwise from left: Portraits, including that of Sir M Visvesvaraya, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi, in the Vidhana Soudha will get a facelift | JITHENDRA M

The large size portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Ravindranath Tagore were displayed on either side of the entrance to the Legislative Assembly on first floor of Vidhana Soudha by the Department of Information and Public Relations. Other paintings such as those of the Dewans of Mysore Sir M Visvesvaraya, Krishnamurthy, Rangacharlu and others are displayed in the Banquet Hall.
Apart from this, paintings depicting the KRS Garden with fountain, Shivanasamudra Water Falls, Chamundeshwari Temple, etc., adorn the walls of the East Courtyard attached to Assembly Hall and the ante-chambers of ministers.

“As proper care was not taken to preserve these paintings over the decades, the faded portraits of Gandhiji and Tagore look awkward. The paintings of the Dewans are damaged. Similarly, the paintings of tourist places of then Mysore state are in a bad shape. This is for the first time the Assembly has taken the initiative to restore the works of art,” an Assembly official said.  
The officer explained that a committee was constituted by the Assembly involving experts from the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage. The committee held discussions on Wednesday on measures needed for restoration of these valuable paintings. Finally, it was decided to hand over the project to INTACH.

The official said that the works will be taken up at a cost of `5 lakh and it is expected to be completed in six months. This will enhance the aesthetic beauty of Vidhana Soudha.