Egypt's lion bridge to be recreated for Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's new headquarters

VASHI: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has sought the services of noted sculptor MP Pawar to create iconic sculptures of two lions for the new headquarters under construction at Belapur junction on Palm Beach Road.
Why NMMC decided to opt for this particular 'Egyptian roar' in Belapur is still not clear, but the city engineer Mohan Dagaonkar merely quipped: "We have awarded the NMMC HQ work to M/s Ashwini Infradevelopment Pvt Ltd.They are looking after all aspects of work.''
The acting municipal commissioner, A Jarhad, also indicated that he does not know much about why these Egyptian Lions were chosen, as he is only holding the additional charge at NMMC.
Pawar has been asked by civic officials to sculpt two lions on the lines of the lion statues flanking the entrance of the Qasr el-Nil street, also spelled Qasr al-Nil, in downtown Cairo, Egypt. The 12 feet tall lions will be sculpted in bronze and placed right next to the two huge pillars at the entrance of the headquarters. Each lion is expected to weigh nearly two tons, said sources.
Born in Jasai village near Panvel, Pawar, a sculptor par excellence, has many awards to his credit including one from ex-president Pratibha Patil for the statue of Maharana Pratap erected in Chikhli, Vidarbha. Some of his rare statues depicting different dance forms of India have been placed at the theme park within the Central Park in Kharghar.
The former dean of Sir JJ School of Art (Sculpture), Pawar presently has his hands full as Ganesha Chaturthi is just around the corner. He specializes in eco-friendly idols of clay and papier mâché. He will begin work on the statues only after Ganesh Chaturthi.
His most prized creation is the Shivcharitra Chitravastu - carvings on pink stones especially brought from Rajasthan depicting the key events in the life of Shivaji Maharaj - installed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Vashi.
History's roar
Qasr el-Nil Street is one of the biggest streets in Cairo with many business houses, restaurants, and an active nightlife. The iconic statues in Egypt are late 19th century works by French sculptor and animalier Henri Alfred Jacquemart. The statues became a symbol of the recent revolution that shook Egypt.
The sculptures to be placed at the entrance of NMMC's new headquarters in Belapur are to be modelled on these statues. The sculptures will be created by M P Pawar, the former dean of Sir JJ School of Art (Sculpture).