The Hindu : City's dinosaur couple facing extinction

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

City's dinosaur couple facing extinction

By T. Nandakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM April 13. Long before Speilberg's `Jurassic Park' hit the screen, the capital city had its first close encounter with the giant beasts who roamed the earth millions of years ago. Ever since they were installed in 1992, the two towering models of dinosaurs inside the traffic island at the Museum junction were a major attraction, capturing the attention of residents and visitors to the city.

Shifted to the Shanghumukhom beach a few years later to make way for the statue of the former Chief Minister, C. Kesavan, the two giant models are a picture of neglect today. Confined to a bare strip of land inside the children's park, the Brontosaurus, the bigger of the two models, had its neck and limb broken to make way for the adjacent merry-go-round. The gaping hole in the neck of the dinosaur has exposed the iron rods inside to the salty winds from the sea, threatening to corrode the skeleton.

Made in cement concrete, the two figures were created for the District Tourism Promotion Council by a city-based artist, Aryanad Rajendran, over a period of 15 days.

``Initially the DTPC had invited me to create the model of a camel to be placed at the Museum junction. My suggestion to make a couple of dinosaurs was approved. Before starting on the work, I pored over a number of books in the public library and opted for a Brontosaurus and an Iguanadon. The body structure and the texture of the hide were carefully studied to ensure authenticity'', he says.

A team of masons was employed to assist the artist in the work. While the Brontosaurus model measures 27 feet from head to tail, the smaller Iguanadon is 17 feet in length.

For the transport to the new location, a police tow truck was pressed into service to load them onto a lorry. The tail of the Brontosaurus was cut and later put together by masons. The gaudy green in which the two models were repainted have flaked off, leaving ugly patches on the skin.

Mr. Rajendran said he had tried in vain to get the operators of the children's park at Sanghumukhom to repair the damaged models. ``Unless something is done immediately, the sea winds may corrode the iron framework'', the artist says. In desperation, he has now submitted a memorandum to the DTPC chairman seeking Rs. 15,000 for repairs.

A product of the Fine Arts College, Mr.Rajendran is employed as an artist modeller in the Anatomy section of the Medical College here. His work involves the preparation of charts, diagrams and models for medical students. In between, he finds time for creative work.

Some of his works include the bust of Hippocrates before the Medical College referral OP section, the giant statue of a mother and child in front of the SAT hospital and the sculpture of Indira Gandhi on the premises of the KPCC headquarters.

Mr. Rajendran is often sought out to prepare sculptures for major events including exhibitions and conferences organised in the city. Most of his models are created in cement. He also dabbles in oil painting. His relief works adorn some of the theatres in the city and suburbs.

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