By R.Swathi
On the late evening of Dec.30, a group of friends, members of the civic body Spark and residents got together at the Karl Schmidt Memorial, at Elliots Beach to pay tributes to the person who died saving a lady from drowning.
The landmark monument has stood the test of time for 93 years, and residents hope that it holds for 7 more years, post which, it might be taken over by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for its better upkeep.
As the group stood inside the memorial to pay respects, scores waited outside to absorb a piece of it to make it a part of their memory. “It is ironic that people have zero interest in preserving this monument, which is a symbol of Elliot’s beach. Photography enthusiasts take pictures of it in the mornings, and the public takes selfies in the evenings. Alas, the only benefit the monument derives from the fame is: defacing and looting,” sighs Kamakshi Subramaniyan, Co-founder of Spark.
As Dr.T.D.Babu, Co-founder of Spark gives a tour of the memorial to the group, with pain he points out the broken EB panel, stolen water pump, light timer and focus lights, vanished security booth, illegible plaques and unkempt garden. Defacings and cracks on the wall add to his disappointment.
The group lays a wreath and holds electric lamps in respect. A small discussion ensues on what the public can do to save it, but outside the memorial, groups stand wondering if they will be allowed to take selfies.
“Despite its restoration in 2018, with subsequent neglect and vandalism, how can we expect a memorial to stand unhinged?” wondered Dr Babu. With hopes that the memorial doesn’t become a memory in itself, the group disbursed, pledging to do all they can to ensure its restoration.
A brief history of the memorial as recollected by Dr.Babu:
In 2013, the then Mayor alloted 34 lakhs for the restoration of the Karl Schmidt memorial on the request of Spark. Similarly before restoration, Spark requested IIT Madras and Reach Foundation to make an assessment and provide guidelines for restoration. Both of them assessed on structure and soil profile free of cost. Sthapathi (ancient temple architects) was brought to restore the structure using lime and mortar. Outer fence with granite pedestal was proposed and non-corrosive metal was supposed to be used for the grill. Structure was restored as per the norms, but the protective fence was not constructed as per the suggestion and soon it got corroded. A motor was installed for watering the garden that was developed by the Parks department at a cost of 2 lakhs. A security bunk was also placed inside the north eastern end, as security personnel were employed for 3 shifts, to safeguard the memorial.
In 2018 under Swadesh Darshan scheme, along with the beautifying the beach, the memorial saw an uplift too:
It got a coat of fiber using fibrewrap technology;
Two plaques with a write up on the memorial were installed in two languages – English and Tamil;
Four solar powered lamp posts along with expensive focus lamps that focused from the four sides, on the memorial, were installed at a cost of 9 crore.
Though the present RDC-South P.Amith, IAS, has promised to take steps to protect and conserve the memorial, we are still waiting for some action. This symbol of sacrifice and caution and face of Elliot’s beach shouldn’t be left ignored. We cannot be disrespectful to this pride of the neighbourhood. Nevertheless, we continue to hope that some action will be taken at the earliest, towards restoration of the structure.
