Ganesha and Hanuman decorate a heritage wall at CSMT

The iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) is unique in many ways. It is from here that the first train in India debuted on 16 April 1853 and reached Thane. This British-era magnificent building, which houses the headquarters of the Central Railway, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004. Now, two eye-catching, glittering sculptures of Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman adorn a wall of the heritage building.As part of CR's initiative to promote and preserve Indian art and culture, the sculptures, designed by city-based artist Sonali S Iyenger, were selected through a competition organised among artists and students from leading art colleges. Ganesha or Ganpati is the essence of Mumbai, while Hanuman symbolises valour and timelessness. "The sculptures represent longevity and realism with multimedia representing modernism. The embellishments signify the vibrant, celebratory attitude of the people of Mumbai and India," said Iyenger.While unveiling the sculptures, CR's General Manager Ram Karan Yadav said: "This is an excellent initiative and Central Railway will look for more potential locations for similar projects to encourage Indian art and culture." "We hope that similar opportunities will be provided to Indian artists in other historic and celebrated buildings in the country to bring forth their work to the attention of the people of India and abroad," he added.At the spacious GM's office in the main building, a wooden spiral stairway takes you to the third floor where a door opens to a space with the beautiful sculptures staring from a wall. The air-conditioned room's wooden ceiling enhances the place's antiquity even as the modern sculptures blend seamlessly with the historic building's famed majesty.The artworks were, said the artist, created with an arduous process of mud sculpting, wax polishing, Plaster of Paris (POP) sculpting, multiple layers of rubber liquid, followed by several coats of fibreglass. "It took us one month of continuous work as we kept welding, painting and embellishing the sculptures," said Iyenger, a prolific artist who has earlier worked on several projects, including paintings to beautify the nuclear power plant in Hissar, Haryana. Significantly, she has used scraps to embellish the two sculptures as part of a tribute to the people of Mumbai. "Both the GM and Deputy GM (Abhay Mishra) wanted to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of Mumbaikars and pay tribute to their efforts. The use of scraps is to salute that hard work of the toiling masses in the city," said the artist.But how do these sculptures fit into the aesthetic value of the heritage structure? "This project is a long-term investment in aesthetic and cultural enrichment aimed at inspiring generations and fostering community pride. Many buildings from the British era feature foreign architecture and design," explained Mishra. "Introducing Indian art and culture into these structures not only highlights our indigenous artists but also offers them a significant platform to showcase their work to the people of India and the world."Having installed these artworks—vighnaharta (destroyer of obstacles) Ganesha and valorous Hanuman—at the celebrated CSMT, CR has now urged custodians of other prestigious buildings in the city and elsewhere to create spaces for pieces of Indian art and sculptures. This is good way to celbrate our heritage buildings.