India’s first Indo-Korean Friendship Park to be ready by January 31
A few changes in its design and Supreme Court directive banning construction delayed the completion of the park that was to complete in November last.
NEW DELHI: India’s first Indo-Korean Friendship Park, a reminiscence of India’s contribution to the Korean War would be ready in New Delhi by January 31.
However, the date for the formal inauguration of the park which is being developed as the Korean War Memorial of India is yet to be announced. India is the only country out of 22 nations that had supported South Korea in the war against North Korea that doesn’t have the Korean War Memorial.
The Indian Army is developing it in association with the Korean War Veterans Association and Embassy of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in India.
A few changes in its design delayed the completion of the park that was to complete in November last. Also, the Supreme Court directive banning construction in Delhi NCR to curb pollution too played spoilsport in the timely completion of the park.
The SC order only prompted the Indian Army to change its mind and shift to structure made of fiber material instead of clay.
Coming up in Thimayya Park in Delhi Cantonment area near Army Base Hospital, the Memorial park will rekindle the memories of the Korean War fought between South and North Korea in 1950-53, and the Indian Army’s contribution in this 3-year old war.
The first change effected in the overall design of the Indo-Korean Friendship Park was the shape of the main entry gate which is being erected on one of the gates of Thamayya Park.
“When I visited the park in November, I saw the entry gate which was being designed took after some Chinese or Bhutan architecture. I suggested the Indian Army officers concerned to change it to the Korean style of architecture. And they agreed to it. It is being redesigned now,” said Col. Lee IN, Defence Attaché, ROK.
As per the earlier design, the park was supposed to have a bust of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. But now the park will have an embossed figure of Tagore on one of the four pillars in the backdrop.
Tagore is very popular in South Korea for the small poem he had written in 1929 linking Korea’s historical legacy to its future as the ‘illumination of the East’.
Interestingly, South Korea had installed Tagore’s bronze bust at the heart of Seoul in 2011, on the occasion of his 155th birth anniversary.
Instead, the park will now have a life-size statue made of fiber material of Indian General KS Thimayya in whose name the Thimayya Park was christened.
General Thimayya has a strong connection with the Korean War. This celebrated soldier had played an important role in ending the war and making both the warring sides sign the Korean Armistice Agreement in July 1953.
Mohali-based Gary Arts has prepared the statue of General Thimayya as well as four pillars.
“Another attraction of the park will be the handshake artifact of India and South Korea. Made with fiber material, this structure has been installed in the middle of the park and will surely be a great attraction besides other artifacts,” said Gagandeep of Gary Arts.
The other fiber-made pillars in the backdrop would display detail of 60 Para Field Ambulance Brigade of the Indian Army that had participated in the Korean War. Another section will be about General K S Thimayya explaining Indian armed force’s mission in Korea
Great! Thanks for India’s supports at the Korean war.
Thanks for your comments!
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