Krumbiegel’s headstone damaged, immediate restoration sought

Heritage Beku, a citizen-led advocacy group, has urged the State government to investigate, repair and restore the damaged headstone of Gustav Krumbiegel, a German horticulturist and town planner, at Hosur Road Cemetery. He was the curator and architect of Lalbagh, and his overall horticultural efforts gave Bengaluru its moniker ‘Garden City of India’.

On behalf of the group, Priya Chetty Rajagopal has submitted a petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law & Order), Bangalore City Police, and the Director/ Deputy Director, Horticulture Department (Lalbagh), on Thursday, drawing attention to the “severe damage to the headstone of the legendary landscape architect and visionary.” 

“Krumbiegel’s contributions to Bengaluru’s landscape, particularly his iconic design work at Lalbagh, are invaluable to our city’s heritage. The destruction of his grave marker represents a significant loss to our shared history,” she said in the petition.

“Alyia Krumbiegel, his great-granddaughter and a core member of Heritage Beku, has expressed deep grief over this incident. She was very upset when informed about it, but was hesitant to burden the community with this issue, especially given the ongoing discussions regarding the parks Bill. She is currently awaiting the report from the Lalbagh officials, who promised to inspect the site,” stated the petition.

The group has demanded a thorough joint inspection (Police and Horticulture) to determine if this damage was caused by accident, natural wear and tear, or deliberate vandalism. “If the cause is determined to be vandalism, the Police Department should swiftly investigate, identify, and apprehend the culprits, as such desecration of historical monuments cannot be tolerated,” the petition said.

Speaking to The Hindu, Kusuma G., Deputy Director, Horticulture Department (Lalbagh), said, “Ms. Alyia Krumbiegel has informed us about the damage to the headstone of Krumbiegel’s grave. We will go to Hosur Road Cemetery on Friday and do a spot inspection. We have received information that a tree branch has fallen and the headstone has been damaged. Krumbiegel’s contribution to making Bengaluru a Garden City is immense. This incident has been brought to the notice of the government, and necessary action will be taken to repair and restore it immediately.”