Statues in the city

Statues in the city

On Monday, April 1, 1996, you did a noble service to your
readers, particularly to the expatriates, by writing about the
statue at Pancoran, Tebet. I have been asking many of my
Indonesian friends about various majestic and beautiful statues
in this equally beautiful city (including the one at Pancoran)
and what they represent, but I was surprised (and somewhat
disappointed) to find that most of them do not know the history
behind these statues. Statues have a special place in the history
of every country and its people. I am sure that there are
hundreds of expatriates like me who have a keen desire to know
about the history of various statues in this city and this
country.

Till I read the report, I did not know the correct name of the
statue at Pancoran and was dismayed when it was referred to in
some nonsensical derogatory terms. I wrongly assumed that the
statue at Pancoran depicted Hanuman, one of the wily characters
from the epic Ramayana and am happy to know its correct name
Dirgantara and that it depicts Gatotkaca from another epic
Mahabharata. It was fascinating to read the historical background
regarding how it was built.

I do not know what the beautiful statue at the Sudirman Circle
represents and feel very sad when it is also referred to in
similar derogatory terms. What does the statue in front of the
Hotel Indonesia represent and what is the history behind it? What
is the history behind Tugu Tani in front of the Aryaduta hotel?

I think your paper should run a series of articles on all the
statues in this city so that people will refer to them by the
correct names and with all the respect they deserve.

Mr. Michael Chandra who took the initiative and contributed
handsomely to the scrubbing and polishing of the Dirgantara
statue deserves a special mention.

K.B. KALE

Jakarta