Save Bharat Bhavan carvings on Mill Road

UPDATE 3: (14th November) After hearing from professionals, we now know that we need to raise an additional £20,000 to properly transport, site, and install the carvings. This endeavour now also has the backing of Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council! To find out more please visit the Gateway from India website  which has been established to give further details. 

UPDATE 2: (10th April) We have had so many emails and phone calls from people who want to help and we are very thankful to you all!

The funding goal has been raised to £6000 to reflect the installation costs of the carvings, which may also include a heritage plaque telling their story, as well as lighting which changes colour for specific events such as Diwali or the Mill Road Winter Fair. You have all made this happen, with people in Mill Road, Cambridgeshire, and across the country pitching in to help - but please keep passing on our message as every £ helps! 

(It is possible that this number may rise again, but every £ donated helps us do more to save, preserve, and respect this piece of Cambridge heritage.)

UPDATE 1: We have reached the target - thank you! Every additional £ we receive now will go towards the important task of re-homing this piece of Cambridge heritage and not just safely dismantling and storing them. 

These pictures are from the former Temple Bharat Bhavan located in the Old Library on Mill Road.

With the building's return to Cambs County Council it is being restored to its original appearance - unfortunately all this beautiful carved stone is going to be removed and disposed of (in a skip!). This cannot be allowed to happen to the talented work of sculptors from India which was shipped all the way to Cambridge. It is a piece of Mill Road's heritage. 

We are appealing to the City Council and the County Council to use these carvings in a memorial as they are part of the road's historical and cultural legacy. There are several locations in Mill Road where a memorial could be placed for locals to appreciate them, based on talks with the local authorities. This fundraiser has the full support of the trustees of Temple Bharat Bhavan. 

The cost for the carvings to be taken down professionally and stored is only £3,250. 

Mill Road Traders Association can contribute part of the cost but we’d like the community to encourage the authorities to support this project which is why we are organising this fundraiser. We must protect diversity and cultural identities in Mill Road and we need to do it SOON - work begins on Monday the 29th of March.

Thank you for your time and if you can contribute even a small amount it can go a long way to preserving some of Cambridge's heritage.

If you’d be interested in supporting us or have any questions or concerns please write to: [email redacted] or call 
07909611776