The Monument and the man . . .

The Monument . . .
Thirukkural is a precious gem among the classics, unique in the deliverance of code of conduct to the mankind to follow for all time
to come. It enshrines in it 1330 couplets under 133 chapters, each chapter comprising 10 verses. The chapters again fall under three major divisions. Virtue, Wealth and Love.
Thiruvalluvar statue was built in late 90’s as a tribute to the great saint Thiruvalluvar. The Thiruvalluvar Statue is a 133 feet (40.5 m) tall stone
sculpture of the Tamil poet and saint Tiruvalluvar, author of 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 stands 400 meters from the coastline of Kanyakumari on a
small island rock. Ferry service are available from the mainland. The ferry
service to Vivekananda Rock Memorial stops for a while at the
Thiruvalluvar Statue.

Measures adopted for the statue of Thiruvalluvar :
The statue with 95' and the pedestial supporting it with 38ft, the structure is thus a standing mammoth commanding a total height of 133 feet. An artistic peripheral wall around the statue, thereby forms a captivating mandap.

The measures what they stands for? :
The pedestal represents the 38 chapters on 'Virtue' and the 95' statue standing on the pedestal represents 'Wealth' and 'Pleasure' signifying that Wealth and Love be earned and enjoyed on the foundation of Virtue solid.

The rocks for the sculpture came from :
Sirudhamoor, Pattumalaikuppam Hills and Ambhasamudram Hills. Ambasamudram contributed 5,000 tons of stones, while Shankarapuram was quarried for 2,000 tons of high quality granite stones for the outer portion of the statue. While the largest of the 3,681 stones weighed over 15 tons, the majority weighed three to eight tons. An interesting detail is the 19-foot-high face, with the ears, nose, eyes, mouth, forehead all made of individual stones carved by hand. Stumps of palmyra tree and poles of casuarina (ironwood) were used for scaffolding. It took 18,000 casuarina poles tied together with two truckloads of ropes to reach the top of the statue.

Statistical Details of the Statue
Height of the statue	95 feet
Height of the pedestial	38 feet
Statue along with the pedestial	133 feet
Height of the face	10 feet
Height of the body part	30 feet
Height of the thigh part	30 feet
Height of the leg part	20 feet
Fore arm	10 feet
Length of the manuscript	10 feet
Width of the shoulder	30 feet
Length of the hairdo	5 feet
Peripheral wall including  the statue & mandap	60 * 50 feet
Weight of the pedestal statue and the wall	7000 Tonnes
Sculptures and other worksmen	500
Cheif Scultptor :	Thiru V.Ganapathi  Sthapathi

The Man …..

V. Ganapati Sthapati is a Sthapati (temple architect and builder), and head of the College of Architecture and Sculpture in the Vastu Shastra tradition ascribed to the sage Mamuni Mayan
Sthapati was born in 1927 to sculptor Sri Vaidyanatha Sthapati and Smt. Velammal in Pillayarpatti, a village near Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu , India.He was born into a Vishwakarma family (a Hindu hereditary caste of artisans and architects). His family tradition claims descent from the architects who created the Brihadeeswara Temple of Tanjore, TN, India.

Sthapati has earned a number of titles and awards, including Padma Bhushan.
The dedicated service rendered by Dr. Sthapati, has drawn the attention of the East as well as West to the existence of a unique and unexplored science of time and space, light and sound, on which the Indian Vaastu and Vaastu related architecture (of spiritual nature) are anchored. His efforts are fast gaining ground. Through his research works and allied activities, Sthapati has identified and brought back to lime light the legendary Mayan, the progenitor of Indian Vaastu Science.

After retirement from the Government Service, he has given form to a group of five institutions, aimed at spreading the principles of traditional Indian Science of Vaastu. Through these institutions, founded and guided by Sthapati, he has been rendering remarkable services contributing a number of temples, imagic forms, Vaastu based buildings, as well as conducting seminars and lectures, both at national and international levels, and also authoring and publishing books, on the sacred science of Vaastu.

Notable Projects of Ganapathi Sthapathi

• Design and Construction of 133' high colossal statue of Ayyan Thiruvalluvar in Kanyakumari.
• Design and Construction of Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, India.
• Art Gallery ,Poompuhar, Chennai, India.
• Renovation of Budha statue in Hussein sagar Lake, Hyderabad
• Sri Swaminatha Swamy Temple-Malai Mandir-New Delhi
• Sri Ganapathi Temple ,Bhilai Steel Plant, Bhilai ,Madhya Pradesh
• Renovation works of Panchalakuruchi Kattabomman Kottai
• Sri Maha Ganapati Temple ,Ramco Cements ,Karur
• Sri Karunya Vinayagar Temple,Ganesh Seva Samaj,New Delhi
• Sri Vadivalagiya Soundara Vinayagar Temple for TVS Sundaram Claytons
• Indianisation of Raya Bhavanam with architectural frontage and with remodification of interior spaces at Kumbakonam
• A huge sized Thorana Vayil with all elegant features for Madurai Kamaraja University
• A masterpiece of Tamil Thai mounted on a chariot exclusively made of stone at Tamukkam grounds , Madurai
• Sri Mathrubhuteswarar Temple ,Renovation works ,Sri Ramanasramam ,Thiruvannamalai
• Designed and guided the carving and erection of 30 feet high(seated) stone statue of the Buddha at Sarnath.
• Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple ,Anna Nagar West ,Chennai.
• creative Entrance Arch to the Tamil University Building ,Tanjavur.
• Front Elevation and architectural treatment for a huge building -Rajah Muthiah Hall in Chennai
• Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple ,Chrompet, Chennai
• Sri Ganesh Temple(in Granite) ,TVS Suzuki,Harita,Hosur
• Renovation and reconstruction of old temples in Padavedu ,North Arcot Dist for Sri Venugopala Kainkaryam Trust.
• Mutt building and temple architectural features , Sringeri Mutt, T.Nagar ,Chennai.
• Renovation and restoration of 9 ancient Temples 'Nava Thirupati' in Tirunelveli district.

Projects Outside India

• Sri Mahalakshmi Temple - Manor Park,U.K
• Sri Murugan Temple - High Gate,U.K
• Sri Dandayuthapani Temple - Tank Road,Singapore
• Sri Rudrakali Amman Temple - Depot Road,Singapore
• Sri MuruganTemple - Malacca ,Malaysia
• Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple - Washington D.C
• Sri Ayyanpan Temple - Washington D.C
• Sri Shiva Subramanya Swamy Temple - Nadi ,Fiji Islands
• Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple - St.Louis ,Missouri,USA
• Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple - Cleveland,Ohio,USA
• Designed Sri Maha Ganapati Temple - Edmonton ,Canada
• A Shiva Vishnu Temple Complex - Mauritius Islands
• A Shiva Vishnu Temple - South Florida ,Miami USA
• Designed Shiva Vishnu Temple - Louisville,Kentucky,USA
• Sri Ganesh Temple - Omaha,USA
• Sri Balaji Mandir - Bridge water, New jersey USA