Tiruchy to get tallest statue of E.V.R. Periyar

 

Thanjavur: Periyar Trust plans to erect the world’s tallest statue of rationalist leader E.V. Rama­samy, popularly called EVR and Periyar, as part of the ‘Periyar World’ to be established near Tiruchy.

 

Periyar World will soon co­me up on a sprawling 27 acre site at Siruganur on the Tiruchy-Chennai national highway, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) president K. Veeramani has said. To be set up by the Periyar Trust at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore, it will also house a 95-foot bronze statue of the renowned rationalist le­ader.

 

The Periyar statue, along with its pedestal, will measure 135 feet and this will be the world’s tallest Periyar statue, Veeramani said.

 

It will also feature a light and sound programme about Periyar, and would be organised to imbibe scientific temper among the visitors, he said. Periyar World will be completed in five phases for which work will start in Dec­ember. 

 

As a contribution to the creation of Periyar World, 1,000 sovereigns of gold, valued at Rs 2.5 crore, would be presented by DK cadres at a meeting to be held in Thanjavur on Dec­ember 2, Veeramani added.