What is the importance of Jatayu bird sculpture? « Back to Questions List

Jatayu sculpture at the Jatayu Earth Center (JEC) in the Kerala state of India is the largest sculpture of a bird in the world. The sculpture is built on a rock, Jatayupara.  Kerala, also known as ‘God’s Own Country’ is a world famous tourist destination for people across the globe.  

Jatayu Earth’s Center or Jatayu Nature Park is a nature park and eco- tourism centre.  The centre is a rock-theme park. The Jatayu sculpture and the park is a project conceived and carried out by a well-known Malayalam film director Rajiv Anchal.  The park is spread over 65 acres and the project cost was Rs. 100 Cr.  The project was completed on a on a BOT (build-operate-transfer) model between the Government of Kerala and Guruchandrika Builders and Property, a company owned by Rajiv Anchal.  The project was launched in 2008 and opened to visitors in 2018. 

The bird Jatayu is a character in the Indian epic the Ramayana. The ancient epic describes the fight of the divine prince Rama to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.  When Jatayu saw Ravana capturing Sita, he tried to rescue Sita.  Despite a valiant fight, Ravana got the better of Jatayu as he was very old.  As Rama and his brother Lakshmana chanced upon the dying Jatayu in their search for Sita, he narrated the fight and informed them of the direction in which Ravana fled.  Rama eventually saved Sita after killing Ravana in a war.  The epic is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki.  According to the myth, Jatayupara  is where Jatayu fell after its wings were cut by Ravana.

The Jatayu sculpture is 200 feet long, 150 feet wide, 65 feet tall and is located on a rock situated approximately 1,000 feet above sea level.  The sculpture, a building with a 15,000 sq ft floor area, is made of roller-compacted concrete (RCC). The finger nails are made of stainless steel.  The Jatayu Adventure Centre offers a variety of activities including rock climbing, crossing a bridge and trekking.  There is a 500 metre cable ride and 1.5 km granite stone walk way. A heli-taxi service will also be introduced in due course.  The museum and a 6D theatre inside the sculpture will narrate the tale of Jatayu and will be screened for tourists. 
 

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