35-yr-old dream takes shape

Her claim to fame is sculpting the country's tallest-ever bronze statue of Rani Lakshmibai mounted on a horse. The creation of noted city sculptor Jasuben Manhar Shilpi, the 15-feet statue which has been made in a record six months, will soon find pride of place at the crossroads near Mahila College in Rajkot.

For 51-year-old Jasuben a dream which was born at the age of 16 has finally taken shape. "With completion of the monumental work, my 35-year-old cherished dream to make the country's tallest-ever statue of the famed Jhansi queen has been fulfilled," says the elated sculptor.

Jasuben began toying with the idea when she was a student at the C N Fine Arts College. She had been on a study tour to Gwalior when, for the first time, she saw a 12-feet statue of the warrior queen. "I was so mesmerised by the statue that at the very moment I decided to sculpt a statue of Jhansi Ki Rani which would be taller than the one in Gwalior," reminisces Jasuben. But she had to wait for 35 years for her dream to come true. "I was indeed thrilled when that long-cherished dream materialised around six months ago in the form of an offer from Rajkot Municipal Corporation who asked me to sculpt the 15-feet statue of Jhansi ki Rani for them," Jsuben says.

Jasuben is now planning to sculpt a 50-feet statue and break the 24-feet record of a New York-based sculptor. Besides Jasuben is also keen on seeing her name in the Guinness Book.

Compiled from local news media