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Thursday, September 23, 2010

Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Thiruvalluvar Statue, Kanyakumari

Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Thiruvalluvar Statue, Kanyakumari

Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a sacred monument and popular tourist attraction in Kanyakumari, India. The memorial stands on one of two rocks located about 500 meters off mainland India's southernmost tip. It was built in 1970 by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee in honour of the visit of the great spiritual teacher Swami Vivekananda to Shripada Parai during the month of December 1892 for deep meditation and enlightenment. He swam to this rock and meditated about the past, present and future of India. It is said that he attained enlightenment on the rock, and henceforth became a reformer and philosopher.

From very ancient times, the rock has been regarded as a sacred place. The mythical tradition states that it has been known as 'Sripada Parai', meaning the rock that has been blessed by the touch of ‘the sacred feet’ of the Devi Kumari. On the rock is a projection similar in form to a human foot and a little brownish in complexion, which has traditionally been venerated as a symbol of Shripadam. According to legend, it was on this rock that Devi Kumari performed austerity.

A meditation hall (Dhyana Mandapam) is also attached to the memorial for visitors to meditate. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India. It houses a statue of Vivekananda. The merger of three seas - Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean can be seen from these rocks.

The memorial consists of two main structures, the Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam.


The Thiruvalluvar Statue is a 133 feet (40.5 m) tall stone sculpture of the Tamil poet and saint Tiruvalluvar, author of the Thirukkural. It was opened in January 1, 2000 (Millenium) and is located atop a small island near the town of Kanyakumari, where two seas and an ocean meet; the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean . 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 Thirukkural. The statue standing on the pedestal represents "wealth" and "pleasure", signifying that wealth and love be earned and enjoyed on the foundation of solid virtue.

The combined height of the statue and pedestal is 133 feet (40.5 m), denoting the 133 chapters in the Thirukkural. It has a total weight of 7000 tons.

The statue, with its slight bend around the waist is reminiscent of a dancing pose of the ancient Indian deities like Nataraja. It was sculpted by the Indian sculptor Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati, who also created the Iraivan Temple.


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9 comments:

  1. Good way of digging history and extracting the truth and mix it with present flavor to present it... Excellent photography...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vivekananda Rock Memorial has a mysterious carving of a foot believed to be that of Goddess Devi Kumari, which is really fascinating. The atmosphere there is really peaceful and calm. I'd really love to visit there once again. There are other places to visit in kanyakumari as well that one should really check out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such a awesome beach, really good post, thanks for sharing such a good post.I really got more think after seeing your post. Want to visit this places then start your journey in Hosur to Nagercoil Bus

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi all, it is located 400 metresfrom kaniyakumari. Vivekananda Rock memorial is located in kanyakumari. It is one of the famous place. If you want visit the destination of kanyakumari, you can visit vivekananda Rock memorial.I visited this place twice in my life time. After seeing your post i got more idea about this place. Thaks for sharing this kind of post. Again i want to visit this places, So i started my journey from hosur to nagercoil

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi
    Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a sacred monument and popular tourist attraction in Kanyakumari, India. The memorial stands on one of two rocks located about 500 meters off mainland India's southernmost tip. It was built in 1970 by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee in honour of the visit of the great spiritual teacher Swami Vivekananda to Shripada Parai during the month of December 1892 for deep meditation and enlightenment. He swam to this rock and meditated about the past, present and future of India.

    Nice post about this place, thanks for sharing your experience in this blog. It really helps people to plan for future trips. If anyone want to travel this place then book your bus tickets advance in Hosur to Nagercoil Bus and get more offers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi
    Vivekananda Rock Memorial was established in 1970 to honour Swami Vivekananda. It was said that Vivekananda attained enlightenment on the rock. The place is surrounded by Laccadive Sea. The memorial is designed with infusing various temple architectures around India. The place consists of two main structures Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam. A meditation hall is also constructed and the visitors are encouraged to meditative.

    Very interesting post, we enjoyed each and everything as per written in your post. Thank you for this article because it’s really informative. If you are planning for your holiday and searching for the beautiful place to spend your time then you can wander around this vibrant city. It really helps people to plan for future trips. If anyone want go to visit these places book your online bus tickets advance in Hosur to Nagercoil Bus and get more offers.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi
    Ranade believed that as the Vivekananda Rock Memorial was a national monument, every Indian should be invited to contribute to its construction. He approached almost every State government and asked for their contribution, making a special effort to go to the north-eastern states of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh so that they could also feel a part of the national endeavor.

    Very interesting post, we enjoyed each and everything as per written in your post. Thank you for this article because it’s really informative. If you are planning for your holiday and searching for the beautiful place to spend your time then you can wander around this vibrant city. It really helps people to plan for future trips. If anyone want go to visit these places book your online bus tickets advance in Hosur to Nagercoil Bus and get more offers.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi
    The Thiruvalluvar Statue is a 133 feet (40.5 m) tall stone sculpture of the Tamil poet and saint Tiruvalluvar, author of the Thirukkural. It was opened in January 1, 2000 (Millenium) and is located atop a small island near the town of Kanyakumari, where two seas and an ocean meet; the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean . 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 Thirukkural. The statue standing on the pedestal represents "wealth" and "pleasure", signifying that wealth and love be earned and enjoyed on the foundation of solid virtue.


    Very interesting post, we enjoyed each and everything as per written in your post. Thank you for this article because it’s really informative. If you are planning for your holiday and searching for the beautiful place to spend your time then you can wander around this vibrant city. It really helps people to plan for future trips. If anyone want go to visit these places book your online bus tickets advance in Chennai to Tuticorin Bus and get more offers.

    ReplyDelete