Late actor Raj Kapoor's former property near Pune, a farmhouse at Loni Kalbhor, which has his memorial, is all set to be welcome a dome, created by educationist Vishwanath Karad, Mumbai Mirror reports. The dome will have 52 statues of some of the prominent personalities across the world, including Mahatma Gandhi, Gautam Buddha, Albert Einstein, Sant Tukaram, Isaac Newton and Aristotle. It will open on October 2. The Mumbai Mirror report states that bronze statues, each weighing over 2,000 kg, have been created by a 93-year-old sculptor Ram Sutar. Vishwanath Karad said that the construction of the monument began in 2005 with no blueprint, sketches or a professional architect, and only with the help of local labourers. The news comes just a few days after his youngest son Rishi Kapoor confirmed that the family has decided to sell off the iconic RK Studio, set up by Raj Kapoor in 1948.
"We were building this peace monument as a tribute to India and to show her solidarity towards world peace. I recently found out that it has grown to become the world's largest dome, even bigger than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It will also have the world's largest peace library with the rarest of books. We are unveiling it on October 2 with a world peace conference," Vishwanath Karad told Mumbai Mirror, adding that Raj Kapoor had mentioned in his will that his farmhouse if ever sold, should go to an educational institution.
"And though the architecture was very different, we decided to retain Raj Kapoor's home as is. The area is called Vishwarajbaug and the home, Raj Kapoor Bungalow. We also constructed a monument with the statues of Kapoor from his best films, and a seven-Pagoda tribute showcasing his best works," Vishwanath Karad told Mumbai Mirror. There is also a music school chaired by Lata Mangeshkar and run by her nephew Adinath.
Asked if the Kapoors and Mangeshkars will be invited for the launch, Vishwanath Karad said, "They are a part of our family and will always be invited. God willing, our families will congregate again on this momentous occasion despite our busy lives."
Meanwhile, of the RK Studio sale, Rishi Kapoor said that they are "taking the larger picture into account." It is located in Mumbai's Chembur. RK Studio was founded and named after Raj Kapoor. Last year in September, a massive fire broke out at the studio, leaving a part gutted.
"The investment in rebuilding the studio would just not have yielded sufficient revenue to keep it going. Believe me, we had to take the larger picture into account and take a level-headed decision," Rishi Kapoor told Mumbai Mirror previously.
Karisma Kapoor's Post On Raj Kapoor's Birth Anniversary: "The One Who Led The Way" Indian Idol 14: Karisma Kapoor Breaks Down After Watching Contestant's Tribute To Raj Kapoor UP Man Arrested For Abducting Minor, Raping Her For 20 Days Virat Ordered Special Birthday Cake For Anushka. Courtesy Bengaluru Baker Richa Chadha's Stunning Pics From Maternity Shoot With Ali Fazal Ranbir Kapoor's Day Out With His Little One Daughter Raha 4 Top Leaders Quit Ajit Pawar's Party In Major Setback After Poll Drubbing Trump Shooting Conspiracy Theories Viewed 215 Million Times On X: Report Days After Rally Scare, Man With AK-47 Arrested Near Trump's Party Event Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.