Parashurama Theme Park Karkala Scam updates 2025
Parashurama is a sage who is credited with creation of coastal belt between Arabian Sea and western ghats. During his time Arabian sea was till the western ghats and Parashurama is believed to have thrown his Kamandala towards the sea, pushing water levels 100s of kms away from western ghats, creating space for what is now the Konkan belt that ranges from Trivandrum in Kerala to Kochi, Kannur, Mangaluru, Udupi, Karwar, Goa etc.
Parashurama Theme park was built and inaugurated by the earlier BJP Government in Karnataka. It was inaugurated sometime in 2023 and became an attraction spot due to its 35 feet gold coloured statue of Parashurama. The campus housed a small museum displaying the story of Parashurama and locals thronged in large number to take a look at this new attraction.
However once Congress Govt came into being, allegations surfaced that the statue is NOT made of brass as it was claimed by earlier govt but it is made of cheap fibreglass.
As per this report in The Hindu couple of studies have proved than statue is made of brass only and not fibreglass. However it has been several months since the original allegations- the statue is broken now- my guess is they broke it to check if material is brass or glass, theme park closed and public entry banned.
A short reel on this topic is gainig traction in Instagram. [Watch on Insta]
The 15 ton statue, that reportedly cost 2.5 crore to build is in a sorry state now. Indian Express has a detailed article on this (need to pay to read though)
Luckily I had visited the Parashurama theme park with family once in 2023 before the scandal broke out. Few earlier pics below.
BJP hasn't bothered to pursue the case and get the statue restored, Congress Govt hasn't shown any interest to take official investigations to a closure and if corruption has happened capture the culprits, recover money but if no corruption, restore the statue and open it to public.
With half the statue gone, the Parashurama theme park stands by the Udupi-Karkala road as a symbol of political apathy, corruption and mismanagement. Congress Govt naturally has no interest or motive to restore what BJP Govt built and Congress destroyed. BJP as an opposition is very weak and loaded with in fight in Karnataka, not able to pursue anything serious against the Congress and take matters to logical conclusion.
Parashurama Theme park Jan 2025 Visitor Info: Closed for visitors
Nearby around Karkala:
Anekere * Varanga * Durga waterfalls * Hanumanagundi falls * Koti Chennaya Theme park * Bahubali Statue, Karkala *
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