Sulata Sarkar poses with workers in front of her Buddha statue. (Photo: PETER OLSZEWSKI)Thursday, 21 August 2008
Written by Peter Olszewski
The Phnom Penh Post
Sulata Sarkar's 7m tall gift to the local people will sit outside the new Angkor Museum
SAN Francisco-based Indian philanthropist Sulata Sarkar has almost completed a two-and-a-half year "labour of love" that she is bequeathing to the people of Siem Reap.
She has commissioned the carving of a huge sandstone Buddha statue to sit on top of a lotus stand, which in turn will be placed on a large pedestal.
The statue is over seven metres tall and weighs an estimated 70-80 tonnes. It was originally commissioned in May 2006 and is to be installed on a site outside Siem Reap's new Preah Norodom Sihanouk Angkor Museum in December.
Calcutta-born Sulata Sarkar has paid for this through her US-based Cinema Art Yoga Foundation, which has also built a US$2 million Asian art museum in California.
She told the Post that she wanted to bequeath something to the people of Siem Reap, and when she surveyed local citizens as to what they would most like, the Buddha statue was the most popular request.
She then commissioned a former soldier-turned-stone-carver, 76-year-old Him Tour, to make the statue.
She said, "He is an amazing man for his age, and he spent so much time sitting on top of that statue working in the hot sun. It took strong will power to continue the task."
Sulata Sarkar said Azedine Beschaouch, adviser to the assistant director general for culture in UNESCO for the International Safeguarding Program of the Angkor temple complex, together with Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Aloke Sen, helped her find a permanent site for the statue.
She said, "I was first offered a site at the Angkor Wat complex, but this was not suitable because they shut the area at 6pm and I want this statue given to the public so they can enjoy it anytime they want.
"Then Neon, the Japanese company involved with building the museum gave me some land outside the museum, and that is where the statue will go."
Top US engineering firm Bechtel contributed expertise to help design the pedestal the statue will stand on and to find a contractor to move the statue to the permanent site.
The statue will be disassembled into hundreds of pieces and then reassembled, a process that will take about 45 days.
SAN Francisco-based Indian philanthropist Sulata Sarkar has almost completed a two-and-a-half year "labour of love" that she is bequeathing to the people of Siem Reap.
She has commissioned the carving of a huge sandstone Buddha statue to sit on top of a lotus stand, which in turn will be placed on a large pedestal.
The statue is over seven metres tall and weighs an estimated 70-80 tonnes. It was originally commissioned in May 2006 and is to be installed on a site outside Siem Reap's new Preah Norodom Sihanouk Angkor Museum in December.
Calcutta-born Sulata Sarkar has paid for this through her US-based Cinema Art Yoga Foundation, which has also built a US$2 million Asian art museum in California.
She told the Post that she wanted to bequeath something to the people of Siem Reap, and when she surveyed local citizens as to what they would most like, the Buddha statue was the most popular request.
She then commissioned a former soldier-turned-stone-carver, 76-year-old Him Tour, to make the statue.
She said, "He is an amazing man for his age, and he spent so much time sitting on top of that statue working in the hot sun. It took strong will power to continue the task."
Sulata Sarkar said Azedine Beschaouch, adviser to the assistant director general for culture in UNESCO for the International Safeguarding Program of the Angkor temple complex, together with Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Aloke Sen, helped her find a permanent site for the statue.
She said, "I was first offered a site at the Angkor Wat complex, but this was not suitable because they shut the area at 6pm and I want this statue given to the public so they can enjoy it anytime they want.
"Then Neon, the Japanese company involved with building the museum gave me some land outside the museum, and that is where the statue will go."
Top US engineering firm Bechtel contributed expertise to help design the pedestal the statue will stand on and to find a contractor to move the statue to the permanent site.
The statue will be disassembled into hundreds of pieces and then reassembled, a process that will take about 45 days.
5 comments:
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Cambodia of uncertainty: economic is booming, but sovereignty is dooming
Cambodian peoples might be so happy with the economic growth of at least 7.00% annually. But in reality, this growth is just the shadow of failure because the inflation is soaring up to 10-15%. The fruits from this growth is not equally distributed. 80% of Cambodian farmers are significantly deteriorated by this growth.
1. The social gap is appearing every aspect of Cambodian society. The poor and the rich is gradually widened from such tricky economic boom. Many poor children quit school because they cannot afford to pay tips for teachers.
Private schools are booming to attract the rich children while poor children are dooming under the act of teachers who receive unjust salary in public schools.
There are many expensive cars such as lexus and land cruisers drive across dumped street children and beggar children.
2. Cambodia has become the "Police State"since the failure of UN to crack down this tactical structure. Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 7 January 1979 to structure Cambodia society as a Police State. They withdrew the uniform military because their bottom structuring was complete. Currently, this structure is gradually strengthening. Major Cambodian policemen are Vietnamese by origin who have been well trained to carry gun to safeguard Cambodian citizens.
How can we say Cambodia is free and independent when Cambodia has foreigners to safeguard our peace and security?
3. National election is just the political game to legitimize Police State leader. By conducing votes, the Police State leader can legally claim their leadership and inspire more aids to last their power.
Their power and wealth are not only gained by exploiting national treasures but also accrue from the foreign aids and loans. New acceptance of decentralization and good governance only sustain their power to last forever.
4. Cambodian peoples should not be easily deceived by the Khmer Rouge brutality. How good is it when communists come to free us from another communists? They both are communist. Their characteristic is still communist and their leadership is absolute. How is different between Khmer Rough communist and Vietnamese communist? It is different only the color (red & white) but the nature of these two communists are totalitarianism regime.
Khmer Rough regime is passed, no KR regime will come to power again; and during KR regime, Khmer can protect its border land. White communist Vietnam is foreigner and this country has long time attempted to swallow Cambodia. Now their ambition is on the right track.
KY
I am a Buddhist. But too much money has been spent on Pagoda and other Buddhist activities.
We should think about the poor and should instead direct our resources to social activities.
10:37AM! You are a Buddhist but not may not know of khmer buddhist.
Before the frech tried to destroy our basic culture or helped us to joint french civilization, all our lives and nation were revolved around the Buddhist's temple and Buddhist activities!
With good and strong Buddishim Khere will be prospered and strong as anation!
stop whining and learn to appreciate. i would complain too if i don't have a home.
Yes I am a Khmer Buddhist, but not a stupid man who bilieves and devotes all resources in Buddhism.
I believe only in what is bilievable in the buddhist religion. Do you believe in the
"500 time-births of Buddha? Do you believe in the Vesandara story? All these " paraboles" were created by Buddha followers to make people believe in Buddhism.
You can find Paraboles in all religions.
The ones who believe too strongly to their religions become Extremists or fundamentalists like the Talibans.
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