An Indian widower has spent 250,000 rupees (£2,500) for a silicone statue in the image of his wife of 39 years. The late wife, Indrani, 59, died alone in a hospital on May 04, 2021 as the Covid-19 restrictions prevented her husband from being with her.
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She lives on
To immortalize his wife, 65-year-old pensioner, Tapas Sandilya commissioned a sculptor to create a silicone statue in the image of Indrani, which now sits in her favourite spot in their home. According to Daily Mail, the life-size doll is adorned in a sari and gold jewellery with her hair coiffed. Tapas is quoted as saying:
Nothing less than Indrani's actual facial expression would do for me. I, after all, lived with her for 39 years.
In an interview with The Times of India, Tapas disclosed that it was his late wife’s wish that should she die before him, he would make a silicone sculpture in her image similar to one of a religious figure they had seen in a temple that they had both visited years back.
Indrani had told me of her desire for a similar statue of her if she happened to pass away before me. I just wanted to fulfil her wish.
‘I just wanted to fulfil her wish’
When he told his family members about his decision, they were not on board. But he argued that that having a statue in her memory was no different from people keeping photographs of their deceased loved ones.
My family was opposed to the idea of installing such a life-like sculpture, but gave in… I just wanted to fulfil her wish
After giving it a long think, the former civil servant went ahead and consulted a sculptor to do the job.
Sources used:
Daily Mail: Till death us do not part: Grieving Indian husband has £2,500 life-size silicone dummy of his dead wife made... and says he likes to comb her hair while she is sat in her favourite spot on the sofa
The Times of India: In Kolkata, 65-year-old man installs wife’s silicone statute after Covid snatches her away
