I don't think AR is gonna allow this...
http://indian-music-bgm.blogspot.com/ Please do not add me in YM. I only use
this account for the group...
--- On Sat, 2/6/10, A.R.Rajib <a.r.ra...@gmail.com> wrote:
From: A.R.Rajib <a.r.ra...@gmail.com>
Subject: [arr] A.R.Rahman's Statue
To: arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010, 12:43 PM
MJ's statue from India could grace Neverland
Indo-Asian News Service
Bangalore, February 06, 2010
First Published: 11:41 IST(6/2/2010)
Last Updated: 12:07 IST(6/2/2010)
Print
Over seven months after his death, Michael Jackson is etched in the hearts of
millions of fans - and also in 12 feet of black granite that its maker plans to
ship to the late king of pop's Neverland Ranch in California.
The statue is drawing curious crowds at the ninth International Granites &
Stone Fair being held in the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (AIEC),
about 20 km from here.
"It's a personal tribute to the greatest pop singer of our times! He lives in
our hearts as he was on stage for years," R. Chandrasekaran, managing director
of RC Golden Granites Ltd, told IANS.
As a diehard follower of the American singer who died suddenly June 25 last
year, Chandrasekaran, 40, plans to gift the 3.5-tonne statue carved out of
black granite to Jackson's estate in California. Jackson's sprawling estate is
located at the Neverland Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara County. The rock singer
lived there from 1988 to 2005.
"I have written to Jackson's family that I want to donate the statue for
installing it in his famous estate. I will bear the freight charge, which is
about $2,500," an elated Chandrasekaran said, while spectators thronged his
company's stall to touch and feel the legendary singer in awe.
The Chennai-based granite firm spent a whopping $25,000 (Rs.1.2 million) in
sculpting the statue out of a single block of huge rock that was quarried from
a mine near Kanakapura, about 50 km from Bangalore.
"We employed six artisans to chisel the granite into Jackson's shape in 45 days
at our factory in Kancheepuram. As black granite is brittle, the aesthetic art
work was a test of patience, diligence and skill. His face and eyes were the
most challenging as we wanted the statue to be expressive and poignant,"
Chandrasekaran said.
The company plans to ship the statue to the US west coast by next month after
the family's consent in writing for securing clearances.
This is not the first time the four-year-old export firm has carved a statue
for an icon, as it had sculpted a skeleton in black and white granite last year
in aid of the campaign against smoking launched by former central health
minister Anbumani Ramadoss.
"We specialise in sculpting exquisite monuments, statutes and other artefacts
carved out of granite rocks, which are the oldest geological formations on
earth. All our creations are exported to European customers on order,"
Chandrasekaran noted.
The skeleton statute, seated on black granite and titled "Hell's Preferred
Citizen", was displayed at the Granite Monument Stone Fair in February 2009 in
Chennai and at a fair against tobacco products in Mumbai, March 2009.
"The statue, dedicated to the anti-smoking campaign, has been installed at
Nirman Bhavan in New Delhi where the health ministry is housed," Chandrasekaran
noted.
As a music lover, Chandrasekaran also plans to create a statue dedicated to
music maestro A.R. Rahman, who won two Oscars and two Grammys for the
film Slumdog Millionaire.
"We will take Rahman's consent for making a granite statue in a pose and colour
of his choice. At such a young age, he has brought so much fame and acclaim to
our country from the world over," Chandrasekaran said.
Besides Jackson's statue, the four-day expo during Feb 4-7 is showcasing a Taj
Mahal and a statue of Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in granite created
and displayed by other companies.
http://www.hindusta ntimes.com/ MJ-s-statue- from-India- could-grace-
Neverland/ H1-Article1- 505882.aspx
--
- Regards
~ ~ A.R.Rajib ~ ~
