A statue, a legacy, a shame
Indira Gandhi on the State Central Library
premises in Shillong bears visible signs of
weathering and lack of maintenance. (ST)
Indians have an insatiable fascination for erecting statues. From colossal figures of leaders to modest busts, the country seems forever engaged in a national pastime of casting bronze and stone tributes. Yet this enthusiasm often ends the moment the unveiling ceremony concludes. Devoid of reverence and institutional care, these symbols of national pride are left to weather, crack, and fade under administrative indifference.
A glaring example of this official apathy stands on the premises of the U Soso Tham Auditorium in Shillong. The statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, India’s first and only woman Prime Minister, tells a quiet but damning story of years of neglect.
Inaugurated in 1985 by her son and then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the once-dignified bronze statue appears weathered and forlorn. Streaks of black and greenish moss run down her face, outstretched arm and sari folds. Her raised hand, meant to symbolise strength and outreach, is visibly stained. Surrounded by lush greenery, the statue is ironically abandoned in plain sight.
Indira Gandhi has a special connection to Meghalaya, as it was under her tenure that we achieved Statehood in 1972. Yet today, this symbol of her legacy has been left to decay, barely 200 metres from the seat of power.
The apathy is striking. Successive governments, quick to inaugurate new memorials and rename institutions, are reluctant to invest in preserving existing ones. Basic maintenance like regular cleaning, chemical treatment and protective coatings requires neither massive funds nor complex policy decisions but sheer will.
Yet years have passed without visible effort. This is not merely about one statue; it reflects a deeper cultural and administrative failure — the tendency to use icons for political symbolism while abandoning the values and history they represent.
As citizens, if we cannot care for the memorials we ourselves have raised, what does that say about our respect for history? The statue of Indira Gandhi waits for an answer.
