The unique experience

The main highlighting feature to attract hundreds of locals, as well as domestic tourists here, is the imposing statue of Thiruvalluvar, the Great Tamil Saint. Visitors will be awestruck when they come face to face with the statue standing tall at 38 feet. Its regarded as one of the most spectacular places to visit in Kanyakumari. 

About Thiruvalluvar Statue

The saint’s statue symbolizes his preaching and looks enthralling amidst the vastness of the azure water of the Indian Ocean. It resembles Nataraja as it’s a little bent from the waist. One can see elephants at the mandapam which symbolize Raja Dashratha’s ten directions that he gave to his charioteer. One can also spot chapters of Porul, Imbal and Aram on the statue. 

Revered as one of the most visited Kanyakumari tourist place, the statue was sculpted by Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati along with almost 500 artisans, and is quite a draw among tourists. The foundation stone of the statue was laid down by the late Morarji Desai, the former Prime Minister while its actual construction ended in 1999. On 1st January in the year 2000, the statue was inaugurated by M. Karunanidhi, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu state. 

Legend

It was built to honor Tamil Nadu’s greatest philosopher and poet Saint Thiruvalluvar. 

More about the place

The statue’s construction used almost 7000 tons of stone which were carried from the hills like Kuppam, Ambasamudram, Sirudhamoor, and Pattumala. Its an earthquake-proof structure with a close resemblance to the Dancing Nataraja as you can see a little flex at the statue’s waist. The sculpture looks grand with a detailed facial structure that stands at 19 feet in height.Thus, when opting for tour packages in Kanyakumari, it is recommended to include a visit to this location.

Thiruvalluvar Statue tsunami 

The tragic tsunami that arose in the waters of the Indian Ocean hit this grand monument on 26th December 2004. However, it remained intact as it was constructed in such a way so to safeguard it against earthquakes. 

Thiruvalluvar Statue timings

This colossal statue remains open for visitors from Monday to Sunday between 9 AM till 4 PM. 

What else?

The statue can be reached by climbing about 140 steps. One should not miss taking photographs of the ten elephant statues sculpted on the mandapam under the statue. The nearby scenic beauty of the place is worth shooting. An interesting fact about this statue is that it remained unscathed during the 2004 tsunami.  

How to reach

Distance in kilometers from - Kanyakumari railway station -1.5 kilometers and Trivandrum International Airport-85 kilometers