NEW DELHI: Work is finally expected to start soon on the execution of a massive stone portal after Indian and Malaysian authorities negotiated for four years on its design, adhering to “local sensitivities”. It would be yet another announcement made by the UPA government, which would finally see the light of day under the NDA administration.
Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a tender for the stone work for “Torana Gate” – four years and five months after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement of India’s gift.
The original design, on the 1st century BCE Sanchi Stupa gateways, had a profusion of human figures, showing wealthy merchants, royal processions and foreigners. But, for an Islamic country they were a strict no-no.
“There are no human figures on the gate,” said a senior official.
Instead, many of the friezes have a profusion of joyous elephants, a recurring theme in Buddhist iconography. Even the elephants’ position was discussed by the Indian and Malaysian governments. There was also some talk from the Malaysian side about putting the national emblems on the gate, but they finally agreed that it would detract from the aesthetic integrity of the design. “Instead, during the inauguration, a separate plaque will be inaugurated,” said the official. All these discussions, coupled with the normal inertia of two bureaucracies, stretched into months and then years.
In October 2010, the Malaysian government officially designated Kuala Lumpur’s Brickfield neighbourhood, home to one of oldest Indian settlements, as Little India. Malaysia has one of the largest and oldest Indian Diaspora, accounting for over 7 per cent of the population.
Malaysian PM Mohammed Najib and Manmohan had jointly launched Little India in 2010. Manmohan took the opportunity to announce that India would make a special gift to mark India-Malaysian friendship.
Officials attributed the delay in finally commissioning the work to the to-and-fro between the two governments and multiple agencies. While the general shape of the nine-metre tall gates was not in dispute, there were several discussions on the content. “The whole thing hinged on the design,” said a senior government official.
The design of the gate was provided by Delhi-based architecture firm Akshaya Jain and Associates, after a competition among 16 firms.
Local media reports from time to time quoted leaders of the Malaysian Indian Congress, impatient with the delay in constructing the gates, which were to be the centrepiece for the beautification of Little India.
The push came to shove after the Malaysian PM met Prime Minister Narendra wModi on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Myanmar last November.
