Painter, designer and sculptor Shiv Singh, the man behind this piece of art, however, terms it his interpretation of the two most commonly found trees in Punjab — pipal and banyan.

Singh is in town to attend a symposium on Dr M S Randhawa.

Drawing the form on the back of an envelope, he explains: “The two broad figures are pipal and banyan, the most common trees of Punjab. The figure next to the trees is a human being looking at them. The small pillars at the ground were made for people to sit.”

Going down the memopry lane, Singh talks about why the sculpture was commissioned. He says: “Dr M S Randhawa invited me to make a sculpture at the PAU which had something to do with rural Punjab. I created this piece in black marble in 1972 and it took me nearly three months to make this piece. As its foundation is quite deep, it cannot fall easily. I remember that a students’ unrest was held at the university a few years ago and some boys had tried to pull this sculpture down, but it did not fall and stands proud till date.”

In an example of the authorities being ignorant of the statue’s significance, however, former Vice-Chancellor Dr K S Aulakh had asked for chains to be put round the sculpture.