A dream carved in wood set for Delhi sojourn!

PALAKKAD: The race to Raisina Hill may have hit the top gear with political parties and leaders putting their heads together to choose the successor to President Pratibha Patil. But V Unnikrishnan of Vadakkeveetil in Kinavaloor, Parli, does not want that to happen in the near future! Unnikrishnan, a carpenter, has been nursing a dream for a long time; to meet the president and hand over her wooden statue, which he carved out toiling hard. “I wanted to hand it over personally, but once I went, the security personnel did not allow me anywhere near. On another occasion, when the President came to Kerala, there was a hartal and I could not travel. So I still have the woodwork with me. Now, however, I’ve decided to send it to the President, as a personal secretary of former President A P J Abdul Kalam has agreed to take it to New Delhi and give it to her.“Though my wish to do it personally did not materialise, I am happy she will receive it finally,” said Unnikrishnan, who lives with his wife Kalpaka and children Sudarshan and Manisha.The woodwork has been detailed in such a way that its base contains carvings depicting  Ashoka Chakra, Ashoka pillar and the Parliament. The figure 13 has also been etched since Pratibha Patil was the 13th president of India. The work also contains 2007, the year the President assumed office.“Unnikrishnan had written several letters to the President requesting that he be allowed to give his work, but there was no reply. Efforts to contact the personal secretary did not materialise either,” said Ramakrishnan, his neighbour.“I had also met M B Rajesh, MP, who agreed to give me an introductory letter. But since there was little time left, I have decided to send it to New Delhi,” said the 41-year-old Unnikrishnan who worked for nearly a month to create the statue.He had created similiar statues of APJ Abdul Kalam and Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan. “Though I wished to be photographed with Achuthanandan, who was the then Chief Minister, I did not have the courage to ask him to pose with me,” said Unnikrishnan.“I occasionally advise him to concentrate on the family affairs because many days are lost doing such works,” says Kalpaka, the wife of Unnikrishnan.However, he feels that he was honing his artistic skills and deriving satisfaction out of such works.