Introduction

A recent piece of construction on the rock adjacent to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Thiruvalluvar Statue is a 133-foot tall (40.5 meters) stone sculpture of Tamil poet and saint Thiruvalluvar. The structure stands 400 meters from the coastline on a minor rock, in memory of this noble saint who gave golden words of wisdom through his philosophical work ‘Thirukkural’ – a treatise in Tamil on the Indian way of life. It was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr. M. Karunanidhi who conceived the idea of a memorial to Thiruvalluvar.

In 1979 former Prime Minister Morarji Desai laid the foundation stone for the statue, but the installation and the sculpting work began not before 1990 when funds were allocated by Karunanidhi for its construction in the 1990-91 budget. In the year 2000, the structure was finally completed atop a small island near the shore of Kanyakumari. About 500 sculptors were hired to work for Dr. Ganapathi Sthapati, a renowned Indian architect. Approximately Rs 6.14 Crore was spent in giving shape to this 133-foot structure comprising a pedestal signifying the 133 chapters of the ‘Thirukkural’. The pedestal itself is some 38-foot tall (11.4 meters) representing the 38 chapters of virtue, with the statue on it standing for ‘wealth’ and ‘pleasure’. It means wealth and love should be earned and enjoyed on the foundation of solid virtue. The total mass of the structure is around 7000 tons!

This gigantic stone statue looms over the Kanyakumari skyline and somewhat dwarfs the legendary Vivekananda Rock Memorial with its sheer size and bright lighting in the evenings. You may say that it is a tad inconsiderate on the elderly among other passionate travelers who have grown up to associate with Kanyakumari a solitary rock memorial amid the dancing blue waves where Indian Ocean meets the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Albeit it detracts from the abandoned beauty of the rock memorial, Thiruvalluvar Statue is nevertheless a sculptural specimen.

Special Attributes

It is a gigantic stone sculpture standing sentinel over the sea and the rock memorial!

Nuisance

The site is peaceful, and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

Dress in whatever you find comfortable.

Connectivity

You can avail the ferry service. The ferry service to Vivekananda Rock Memorial stops for a while at the Thiruvalluvar Statue .

Enjoyed by

Art and architecture buffs

Exposure

You will be partly indoors and partly outdoors. Its location in the middle of the sea makes it extremely windy.

Avoidable Season

April, May, June, July, August, September

Facilities

You can round it up with a trip to the rock memorial.

Things Not Allowed

No such restriction

Tip

Choose first half of the day for your visit.

Type of site

Memorial site/Statue