The one place that would singlehandedly increase the number of tourists in Kerala is Jadayupara. Moreover, Jadayupara is a place with a massive historic importance. In the great epic Ramayana, Jatayu is characterized as a noble bird of divine origin. One day he happened to hear the plaintive cry of a lady. It was Sitha lamenting for help while she had been abducted to Lanka by the demon king Ravana. Jatayu rushed to her rescue, stopped Ravana’s chariot named Pushpaka Vimana and engaged in a battle with him. Eventually, Ravana took his powerful sword Chandrahasa, cut off the bird’s left wing and went away with Sitha. It is said that the injured Jatayu and his lost wing landed on top of a rock. In time, the rock got the name Jatayupara. Also, one could find a footprint near the giant sculpture, which is said to be the footprint of Lord Rama who came to the place in search of his wife Sitha. Having these much historic tie-ups, Chadayamangalam, Jadayupara became a perfect spot for the sculptures to carve the giant structure of Jadayu.
My curiosity compelled me to visit the place on a fine 2017 Sunday evening. Chadayamangalam is a small town near Kollam district which is almost 40 km from the capital city of Trivandrum. Picturing the grand project on my mind, my curiosity quickly became some sort of obsession which made me go out earlier than the scheduled time.
Once I reached the spot, I came to know that the place is still under construction yet the place is half finished hence I was permitted to go inside and take a look. The place has an adventure club nearby which offers a wide collection of games ranging from archery to trekking.
Once I reached the place, I witnessed the view of my life. The sculpture is made looks perfect and I can't wait for it to be complete. The place has a small temple dedicated Lord Rama. There is a small water reservoir which is said to have water 24x7 365 days regardless the climatic shifts. Next, there is a small man-made reservoir which reassures that the place has an uninterrupted supply of water.
Overall, Jadayupara is a magnificent work of art that will surely attract tourists worldwide once the construction is complete. This colossal statue is 200 feet long,150 feet wide and 70 feet making is the largest functional bird sculpture in the world with an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. If that doesn't make you anxious enough to visit the place, then I'm not sure what will make you visit a place.
Contributed by Sooraj Ram
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