Anyone who visits Chennai Marina beach can see a line of
statues on the beach road reflecting Tamil culture, literature and
History. Many would remember the Second
International Tamil Conference held at Chennai during 1968. Statues of Thiruvalluvar, Avvai, Kamban, Dr. G. U. Pope, Dr. Robert Caldwell, Bharathi,Bharathidasan, V. O. Chidambaram, Veeramamunivar (C. J. Beschi) and Kannaki
were erected during that time. Both
Kannaki and Thiruvalluvar had something more than the other statues, the
posture. Kannaki was modeled by Kalpana, a small time actor and Thiruvalluvar
had a great Indian actor to model for him.
Shivaji Ganesan
donated a sculpture of Veerapandiya Kattabomman to be erected at the place,
where he was hanged, at Kayaththar, Thooththukkudi district. Before the erection
of the sculpture, people used to throw a stone there at the spot in remembrance
of the martyr. The stones formed like a small hillock in that place. Shivaji
himself modeled for the statue which looks majestic looking at the sky!
When
Thiruvalluvar statue was planned , Shivaji modeled for it. The statue was made
in Myladi, near Kanyakumari, a village
filled with stone sculptors. His standing posture with a leg in the front, with
hands writing on the palm and eyes looking straight is a delight to watch.
This photograph
was hanging in my paternal uncle’s Tea stall in Boothapondi village . He was a
Shivaji fanatic and he readily presented it to me when I asked.
