There is something absolutely mesmerising about gigantic structures. The blue sky in the backdrop just adds on to the beauty. India is home to many such large structures. Be it the bird sculpture in Kerala or the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, over a period of time, they have become a major attraction. There is another structure that is located at the tip of the Indian sub continent, in Kanyakumari; and it is of the poet and scholar Thiruvalluvar.
The Statue Of Thiruvalluvar Is 133-Ft-Tall
The next time you intend to plan a trip to explore South India, make sure that one of your pit-stops is at Kanyakumari. Adjacent to Vivekananda Memorial Rock in Kanyakumari is the 133-feet tall statue of Thiruvalluvar that leaves you in awe. Thiruvalluvar was a famous poet, scholar, and philosopher. More commonly known as Valluvar, he was the author of Tirukurral, a piece of classic Tamil Sangam Literature that consists of almost 1330 couplets.
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The 133-foot statue was inaugurated on January 1, 2000. It was sculpted and designed by renowned architect and sculptor V Ganapati Sthapati who employed 500 sculptors with him to complete it. Yes! It took that many people to complete this amazing sculpture.
The Height Of The Statue Symbolises The Number Of Chapters
There are numerous tales around why the height of the statue was such a specific number? However, there is one theory that has come closest to explaining it. It is believed that the height; which is 133-feet, also symbolises the 133-chapters of Tirukurral. Now, that, does make sense.
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The figure itself has a height of 95 feet (29 m) and stands upon a 38 foot (11.5 m) pedestal and is located exactly on the point where the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal meet. Though we couldn’t find any specific reason behind the direction it is facing in, but if you know about it, then do share it in comments with us.
Address: Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu
Timings: 8 AM To 4 PM
Cost: The ticket fare is 20/- for boat transfer.
First Published: July 28, 2020 3:57 PM