Here stands Lokmanya Tilak Statue. What stories could this bronze figure tell if it could speak?
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a man of iron will. This statue captures his spirit. It stands here at Chowpatty in Mumbai. Another statue of him stands in Ahmedabad. Both statues connect to a common past.
Back in 1929, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel fought to erect Tilak’s statue in Ahmedabad. Mahatma Gandhi supported this cause. They launched the Tilak Swaraj Fund. This fund helped finance the statue. Gandhi lauded Patel’s courage. He said that the municipality had become courageous after Vallabhbhai’s arrival. It showed courage in installing Tilak’s statue.
The Kolhatkar Arts Studios in Vadodara created both statues. Mahadev Kashinath Kolhatkar was a pioneer in bronze casting. His studio cast the Mumbai statue. Vivek Kolhatkar is his grandson. He still preserves his grandfather’s legacy.
The original plaster of paris cast for the Ahmedabad statue still survives. It rests in Kolhatkar’s studio. Govind Kolhatkar, Vivek’s father, also created many statues. The family perfected bronze casting. They experimented with metal alloys. These alloys mixed copper with tin, zinc, and lead.
Lokmanya Tilak passed away in 1920. His legacy remains strong. This statue is a testament to his monumentality. It is a tribute to his fight for freedom. The statue still stands unperturbed. It reminds us of Tilak’s contribution. The people of Bombay gifted this memorial. It stands as a symbol of his impact on India.