Overview

  • Features: Giant granite statue of ancient Tamil poet
  • Opening Times: 8am to 4pm, daily
  • Best Time to Visit: Late October to early March
  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Travelled By: Ferry
  • Cost: Rs 30 (including ferry and entrance fees)
  • Address: Vivekananda Rock, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Type: Monument

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Summary

Just off the coast of Kanyakumari, on a small island rock near Vivekananda Memorial, is the imposing 40.5-m (133-ft) high Thiruvalluvar Statue which looks like an Indian Statue of Liberty. This stone statue is not of Vivekananda but of the celebrated 1st century BC Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar.

Thiruvalluvar Statue Kanyakumari

 

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Just off the coast of Kanyakumari, on a small island rock near Vivekananda Memorial, is the imposing 40.5-m (133-ft) high Thiruvalluvar Statue which looks like an Indian Statue of Liberty.

This stone statue is not of Vivekananda but of the celebrated 1st century BC Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar. Erected in 2000, Thiruvalluvar Statue was the work of more than 5000 sculptors. It honours the poet’s 133-chapter epic work Thirukural – hence its height of exactly 133ft (40.5m). This work is often referred to as one of the greatest classics of Tamil literature and has been translated into 60 different languages.

 

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The statue has a height of 95 feet (29 m) and stands upon a 38 foot (11.5 m) pedestal that represents the 38 chapters of “virtue” in the Thirukural. The statue standing on the pedestal represents “wealth” and “love”, signifying that wealth and love should be earned and enjoyed on the foundation of solid virtue.

Around the base of the statue, there is an “Artha Mandapam” constructed with ten elephants representing the ten directions of the Universe. The statue, with its slight bend around the waist, is reminiscent of a dancing pose of the ancient Indian deities such as Nataraja. It was sculpted by the Indian sculptor Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati, who also created the Iraivan Temple.

 

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Stairs allow visitors to climb up to the base of the statue and stand at Thiruvalluvar’s giant feet. As you climb up the stairs inside the statue, note the bronze plates with verses from Thirukural.

 

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Thiruvalluvar Statue was designed to be a beacon of art for the whole humanity. Thousands come every month to see this great work of art and culture. Apart from being magnificent, Thiruvalluvar Statue is an attraction that provides a lot of heritage and history of the Tamil culture. Punctuating the horizon like a beacon, it can be seen from far and wide. It is a symbol of greatness that has become the monument that symbolises Kanyakumari.

 

Getting to & from Thiruvalluvar Statue

Ferries shuttle between Kanyakumari port and the islands between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm daily. The ferry service to Vivekananda Rock Memorial stops for a while at the Thiruvalluvar Statue.

 

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