An Indian government retiree spent some of his savings, almost $3,000 on a realistic silicone mannequin made after his late wife after she died due to the pandemic, he claims it was his last wish.
The silicone figure took 6 months to be ready
Tapas Sandilya, an employee from India, had the figure of his late wife Indrani, in silicone and thus dress her with her own clothes and jewelryincluding the sari she had worn at her son’s wedding.
The 65-year-old widower Tapas lives with the silicone figure and keeps it on the sofa in his home, in the town of Kaikhali, West Bengal, India.
The silicone artwork was made by artist Subimal Das, who spent half a year building and shaping the project which weighs 30kg (66lbs) and costs Rs 2.5 lakhs (approximately £2,500), almost $3,000 at current exchange rates.
With information from South China Morning PostTapas lost the love of his life in the second wave of the pandemic, in May 2021. She was taken to the hospital and due to sanitary protocols, he isolated himself and his wife died without being able to say goodbye.
The mannequin wears her clothes and gold jewelry, it cost almost $3,000
The man wanted to fulfill his wife’s last wish through the statue, he tells The Times India.
“We visited the Iskcon temple in Mayapur a decade ago and couldn’t stop admiring the realistic statue of the order’s founder, AC Bhaktivedanta Swami,” he told the newspaper.
“It was then that Indrani let me know of his wish for a similar statue if he predeceased me.”
Surprised by the attention the specific issue has generated, Sandilya said: “My wife died on May 4, 2021 and I just wanted to fulfill her wish.”
“I, after all, lived with her for 39 years,” he added.