'Waste To Art' Initiative In Indore Creates Replicas Of Ancient Structures

Indore: Indore Municipal Corporation has been working for the past 20 days to advance its 'Waste to Art' initiative by creating a replica of the Sanchi Stupa gate, a renowned Buddhist monument in Madhya Pradesh, using scrap materials.  

A team of 7-8 skilled artisans is constructing the gate from scrap metal sourced from motorcycles and discarded vehicles to create a replica of the Sanchi Stupa gate, a renowned Buddhist monument. The city has earned the title of the cleanest city seven times, so the artisans are working hard to secure the title for an eighth time.  

"Indore has earned the title of India's cleanest city seven times, and we are working hard to secure the title for an eighth time. Innovation is constantly happening here, and as part of this effort, a replica of the Sanchi Stupa gate is being created using over one tonne of scrap iron. This project, which embodies the concept of 'Kabaad se Jugaad', is being built under the 'Waste to Art' initiative," said Muralidhar Mathange, an artist.

A replica of the Sanchi Stupa gate will be installed outside Gita Bhavan, near the statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. "Indore is the first city, not just in the country (India), but the world, which has made the largest replica of the Ram Mandir out of iron scrap. That is where the idea came from. The same team has erected several models of 'Waste to Art' made out of iron and other waste at different city intersections. 'Waste to art and waste to wealth' is a legacy of Indore." said an artist working on the structure.  

The completed structure will be 10 feet high, 15 feet long, and 1.5 feet wide. The city's mayor recalls how the creation of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir replica using iron scrap inspired him to initiate more such projects.