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Journalism of Courage
Amid the bustle of Varanasi Railway Station, a new attraction has caught passengers’ attention in the courtyard of the premises — a giant brown statue of Nandi, perched on a black stone pedestal and surrounded by diyas.
Ten minutes away, inside Circuit House, is a replica of the Benaras Ghat. On a mud-coloured base, resembling the river bank, are small boats. Stick figurines sit on the terraced steps of the ghat — some in pairs and some alone. It has a depression carved out in the middle, coloured in blue, to depict the water.
Elsewhere, at a park in the city, in the middle of a lawn, is a colourful ship shaped like a fish and painted in bright blue, green and red. Made by a Mumbai-based artisan, the bow resembles the fish’s head, with a large metal disc for an eye. There are smaller metal discs that resemble scales. Above, painted in cream, is a small deck with an orange sail.
These are no ordinary sculptures and art installations — they have been crafted painstakingly from old railway scrap.
Several such sculptures — of an elephant, a horse, the Ashoka pillar — have come up across streets and intersections, as part of a joint effort by the Ministries of Culture and Railways to integrate public art into the cityscape.
They were made by artisans from 15 different states at the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), known mainly for building railway engines. Two organisations under the Ministry of Culture — the Central Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) and the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) — were involved in the project.
The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA), tasked with installing these sculptures, has already placed 35 out of 72 planned artworks at prominent locations such as the railway station, airport, major crossings, and along highways. “The installation has begun, and several have already been put in place,” said Ved Prakash Mishra, VDA Secretary.
Officials said each sculpture tells its own story, highlighting themes like women empowerment, sports, handicrafts, environment, and India’s cultural heritage. A few pieces have been designed to match the culture or spiritual importance of the place where it stands, helping visitors understand what makes each part of Varanasi special — even without a guide, said an official.
“These sculptures are being installed through vendors,” said the official, adding that the sites for the remaining artworks have already been finalised and installation at those locations will be completed soon.
According to officials, the idea for this project took shape after artists from the LKA created sculptures from scrap metal in Delhi in collaboration with the New Delhi Municipal Council in 2023. Impressed by this innovative approach, an official said, the Ministry of Railways reached out to the Ministry of Culture to explore the possibility of creating similar sculptures using scrap material available at the BLW.
A team of artisans was then sent to Varanasi to inspect the material and to study the city’s cultural and social essence so that the sculptures could reflect its identity. Based on their findings, a detailed project outline was prepared and submitted to the Railway Ministry for approval.
Officials added that once approval came through, the artisans were brought by the LKA and the project officially began on November 7, 2023, within the BLW campus. Over the next few months, working in shifts, they worked with welders and technical staff.
The final piece was completed in April 2024 — a striking sculpture of a girl drawing in the air, symbolising women’s empowerment and celebrating India’s Chandrayaan mission.
Each sculpture stands tall at over 10 feet.
For the craftsman too, the project was a creative challenge.
Ravi Kumar Patel from Varanasi, the man behind the Banaras Ghat sculpture, said he was selected for the project by the LKA. “It took me about a month to complete the sculpture. I feel very happy when people appreciate the artwork, especially after learning that I was the one who made it,” he beamed with pride.
Kanti Bhai Parmar, (64), an artisan from Gujarat, said working in Varanasi was an enriching experience. “We were shown the site and asked to suggest ideas for a suitable sculpture. After some discussion, it was decided that I would create a statue of Nandi, which is now installed at the railway station,” he said.
The initiative also served as a learning platform for 97 design students from reputed institutions such as Chandigarh University, Banaras Hindu University, and the National Institute of Design, who were invited to prepare digital models and visual layouts for the sculptures. These helped artists plan the structure and balance of each artwork before moving to the physical stage, said an LKA official.
To support the technical side of the project, around 65 skilled staff members from BLW were involved — welders, cutters, fitters, and engineers — who helped ensure every sculpture maintained structural strength and balance.
Dr Gayatri Mathur, Senior Programme Officer at the Central LKA, said these sculptures reflect Varanasi’s rich and timeless heritage. They have turned public spaces into open-air art galleries for everyone to enjoy. Each sculpture, she added, captures the spirit of Kashi — a city where history, tradition, and modern creativity come together in harmony. She served as the project curator in Varanasi during the creation and installation of these artworks.
For the 43 sculptures created by LKA’s artisans, stones sourced from Chunar in the nearby Mirzapur district, about 50 km from Varanasi, were used as sturdy bases. The NEZCC, meanwhile, made 26 fibre-based and three stone sculptures in Agartala and later sent them to BLW.
According to BLW’s Public Relations Officer, Rajesh Kumar, the LKA used scrap material for the sculptures, while the NEZCC worked with fibre and stone. He added that the NEZCC crafted a few parts of the sculptures at BLW, though they did not use the workshop’s scrap materials for their creations.
He added that the artwork would not only enhance the city’s beauty but also promote a strong message of environmental conservation.
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