A saxophone artwork installed in memory of celebrated Mangaluru musician Kadri Gopalnath has gone missing from a small park near the library at Kadri Mallikatta, raising questions about the protection and maintenance of public cultural assets.
The artwork was installed about a year ago in the park developed beside the library, according to a report by Prajavani. The report says the installation has recently disappeared and alleges that unidentified miscreants may have taken it away.
Kadri Gopalnath, who was known for taking the saxophone to Karnataka classical music audiences in India and abroad, was commemorated through the artwork at the public space. Its disappearance removes a visible cultural marker from a neighbourhood setting used by library visitors and residents.
The park was reportedly developed a year ago and was initially maintained well. Members of the public and people visiting the library were able to spend time there. The report says that maintenance gradually declined, creating concern about the condition and security of the space.
The incident has also drawn attention to the responsibilities involved in maintaining small public parks. Unlike large civic projects, such spaces can depend on routine upkeep, supervision and timely repairs to remain usable and protect the installations placed within them.
The report calls for those responsible for taking the Kadri Gopalnath artwork to be identified and for the installation to be restored at the site. It also urges the city corporation to take appropriate steps for the maintenance of the Kadri Mallikatta park.
