THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Standing tall overlooking the sea, it is sure to be a major attraction for tourists and believers visiting the state capital. An eclectic blend of art and faith, a 43-feet tall Pieta statue on Pulluvila beach, on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, is all set to make history.
Modelled on Michelangelo’s ‘Pieta’, carved in the late 1490s and housed inside the St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican, the Pulluvila statue was created by sculptor Devaduttan over a span of four years and is claimed to be the largest such in Asia. The Pieta sculpture captures the moment when the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross and laid on the lap of Mother Mary.
The site, which was once overgrown with bushes and weeds, was cleared by local residents before the church took the initiative to develop it.
“We cleaned the area, aiming to revive it. Later, the church received the approval to build the structure here. When the construction started around four years ago, we never expected it to turn into such a beautiful and blissful statue of mother Mary and Jesus Christ,” said Alexander Y, a resident of Pulluvila, expressing hope that the region would develop into a major pilgrim centre in the future.
The initiative to install the sculpture was taken by the St Jacob’s Forane Church, Pulluvila, under the Latin Church, spending `50 lakh. “Pulluvila, the place where Karichal lake joins the Arabian Sea, is the final station of the way of the cross procession conducted by the church every year. Karichal lake is the church’s boundary.
Thus, an idea came up in our minds to build something at the spot. We wanted it to resemble the original Pieta statue in Vatican and hence we approached Devaduttan to sculpt this,” said Rathin, the coordinator of the St Jacob’s Forane Church.
“The statue was sculpted with reference to Michelangelo’s work,” said Bharadwaj Dathan, Devaduttan’s brother, who was also part of the project.“We researched the subject and carried out background work before sculpting. We have tried to give minute details including the anatomy, proportions, expressions, and the folds of the veil, as in his work. The installation is made with cement alone.”
Devaduttan, known for having created the Shiva sculpture at Azhimala, worked with four other artists on the project. “The support of the local people was commendable. We could have finished the work within two and a half years. However, a few emergency situations, like health issues and shortage of staff, and climatic changes delayed the work,” added Bharadwaj.
Sculpture overview
Anatomy, proportions, expressions modelled on Michelangelo’s Pieta at
St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
Colour: White
Raw material: Cement
Height: 43 feet
Location: Pulluvila
Sculptor: Devaduttan
Time taken for completion: 4 years
Ownership and management: St Jacob Forane Church, Pulluvilla
‘MESSAGE OF LOVE & SACRIFICE’
Chief Minister V D Satheesan unveiled the Pieta sculpture on Pulluvila beach on Tuesday. Appreciating the sculptor, Satheesan termed the statue emotional and beautiful. He also honoured Devaduttan at the event. “The sculpture conveys the message of love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary. It also represents the perseverance and dedication of the church and its parish members. A tourism package to attract visitors from across the world will be introduced for Pulluvila. Together, we will make this a tourist destination,” the chief minister said, adding that the project would be announced in the budget. Dr Christudas, auxiliary bishop of Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese, delivered the blessings.