ALAPPUZHA: Six decades since the historic visit of the Dalai Lama to the Karumadikuttan Memorial in Ambalappuzha in 1965, the site that once reflected Kerala's rich Buddhist heritage remains in a state of neglect. The 1,200-year-old monument, home to the famous granite statue of Lord Buddha known as Karumadikuttan, continues to lack basic preservation and visitor facilities.
The Dalai Lama, during his visit in October 1965, had allocated Rs 5 lakh for the protection of the memorial. The funds were reportedly used to construct a pagoda and place the statue at the memorial. However, the State Archaeology Department has done little over the years to safeguard the site, which is a significant remnant of the Buddhist tradition that once flourished in the erstwhile Travancore region.
Though the Archaeology Department took over the site in 2014 and carried out minor conservation work, including a boundary wall and a resting hall, visitors still face severe hardships due to the absence of an information centre, toilets, drinking water, and street lighting. "Except for a lone security guard, there are no facilities to help visitors understand the monument's importance," said Nishu Boudh, a Buddhist disciple from the district.
"Parts of the land belonging to the memorial have even been encroached upon. Both the tourism department and district administration must act to preserve this monument, it's a cultural treasure of Alappuzha," he said. He further said the area becomes pitch dark after sunset, as there are no streetlights along the approach road or in the vicinity of the site.
Since 2014, the Kerala Buddhist Council, the apex body of Buddhist organisations in the state, has been organising Buddha Poornima celebrations at Karumadi to revive interest in the monument. The statue of Karumadikuttan was originally discovered from the Travancore-Shoranur canal by British engineer Robert Bristow in 1930.
The statue, a black granite image of Lord Buddha in a seated Yogasana posture, stands about three feet tall. Its left hand, which broke off long ago, was reportedly recovered by local resident Rajasekharan Pillai of Karumadi and handed over to the Archaeology Department in 2014. The fragment is now preserved at the Krishnapuram Palace Museum in Kayamkulam.
Historical records identify Karumadi, once known as Sreemoola Vasam, as a centre where Buddhist monks were active during the 9th and 10th centuries. The statue is believed to have been installed during that period, but suffered damage in an attack before eventually being buried and forgotten for centuries.
During his 1965 visit, the Dalai Lama affirmed that the statue was indeed established for the propagation of Buddhism in Kerala and reiterated the need to protect it. Yet, six decades later, the monument stands as a silent witness to official apathy. "If immediate steps are not taken, the centuries-old heritage of Karumadi will fade into oblivion," Nishu said
