Kannagi in fit of rage holding Silambu; largest sculpture to be built in Attukal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The world's largest Kannagi sculpture will rise in front of the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. Devadattan, who made the country's largest Gangadhareshwara sculpture in front of the Pulingudi Azhimala Shiva Temple, will prepare the Kannagi sculpture as well. The height of the Gangadhareshwara sculpture is 58 feet.

The sculpture of Kannagi, standing in her destroyer rage form with a single Silambu, will be built at a height of 60 feet. The construction of the concrete sculpture will begin after the Attukal Pongala festival. The target is to complete it in 225 days. The Attukal Temple Trust is constructing the sculpture at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore. The soil test has been completed. The results of the load test are awaited.

Pongala for the blessings of Kannagi

The Attukal Pongala festival begins when the Thottam singers start singing the Kannagi Charitham. The devotees light the fire in the Pongala stove when the part of the Silappathikaram where Kannagi kills the Pandya king is sung.

Politics in Kannagi statue

The bronze statue of Kannagi was installed in Chennai in 1968 by DMK leader C.N. Annadurai when he was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi, who was the Public Works Minister at that time, was in charge of its construction. The statue of Kannagi in Chennai is ten feet high.

In December 2001, the AIADMK government moved the statue to a museum, citing a broken pedestal. The opposition DMK, led by M. Karunanidhi, alleged that the statue was removed on the advice of astrologers and Vaastu consultants who warned that the statue—representing a character who burns down a city in a fit of rage—would bring bad luck and prevent Jayalalithaa from retaining power. The statue was restored in 2006 when Karunanidhi came to power.