After the world’s largest wooden charkha was unveiled at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, the Capital will soon be able to boast another larger than life charkha, this time in the heart of the city – Connaught Place.
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), which recently installed the world’s largest wooden charkha at Terminal 3, will put up another charkha above Palika Bazar in Connaught place, right opposite the KVIC outlet in Regal building. Unlike its airport counterpart, this charkha would be made of stainless steel.
“The charkha will be made of high quality stainless steel because unlike the airport, here it will be exposed to elements like rain,” KVIC Chairman V.K. Saxena told.
“The tender for the steel charkha has been issued and is being finalised at the moment,” Saxena said.
He said that the name of the contractor is expected to be decided within this week.
The charkha is coming up as part of the National Museum for Charkha that KVIC is building at the location. The museum would showcase the heritage of the charkha, including an exhibition of vintage models.
The KVIC had recently requested the general public to gift old and heritage charkhas for the museum.
Saxena said that 11 such charkhas have already been received.
“The construction of the museum is on and is expected to be completed by August 20,” he said.
On a smaller scale
Being made of stainless steel, the charkha at Connaught Place will be heavier than the one at the airport, but its dimensions would be smaller. While the wooden charkha is 9 metres long and 5 metres high, the one at Connaught Place would be 8 metres long and 4 metres high.
Saxena said that the stainless steel for the charkha is being provided by the Steel Authority of India (SAIL).
KVIC feels that the display of charkha at busy public places in Delhi — like the airport and now Connaught Place — will inculcate the feeling of ‘Indianness’ and ‘swadeshi’.
The world’s largest wooden charkha, which has been installed between the departure gates number 3 and 4 of Terminal 3, were built in Ahmedabad by 42 carpenters who took more than 50 days to complete the work. The four-tonne charkha was brought to the Delhi airport in trucks, where it was later assembled.
Source: The Hindu
Image Courtesy: The Hindu
