125-Foot Raja Raja Chola Statue to Crown Grand Museum in Thanjavur

​Public Works Department (PWD) Minister E.V. Velu said the statue would serve as the centrepiece of the ambitious museum project. ​

According to the minister, the proposed statue will be modelled on the Raja Raja Chola statue that was installed near Sivaganga Park in Thanjavur during the tenure of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. ​

"The Chief Minister is personally particular about this project and wants it executed with historical fidelity and grandeur," Velu said. ​

As part of preparatory work, the minister recently visited Gujarat to study the Statue of Unity, the 597-foot monument dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. ​

He noted that the Patel statue's foundation and base were constructed using steel, while the outer structure was built with copper plates. The project, he said, was executed by Larsen & Toubro after the statue was fabricated in China. ​

"We are holding discussions with the same company for the Raja Raja Chola statue as well," Velu added. ​

The Grand Chola Museum is being developed on a sprawling 52-acre site within the Tamil University campus at Thanjavur, at an estimated cost of Rs 56.41 crore. ​

While the Museums Department is overseeing the construction and curation of the museum, the PWD has been entrusted with designing and erecting the statue, envisioned as the museum's primary visual and symbolic attraction. Work on the museum is currently in progress. ​

The project was first announced by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu in his 2023-24 Budget speech. He said the museum would commemorate the civilisational contributions of the Cholas and act as a repository for art objects, inscriptions, and monuments associated with the era. ​

In addition to the statue, the museum narrative will be enriched by the presence of two small bronze idols of Raja Raja Chola and his queen, Lokamadevi, which were smuggled out of Tamil Nadu and recovered by the Idol Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police in 2018 from Ahmedabad. These idols are slated to be ceremonially placed before the deity at the Thanjavur Big Temple on Sathaya Vizha, marking the birth star of the Chola king.​

The Grand Chola Museum will feature galleries covering the Cholas' historical legacy, Sangam-era roots, religious patronage, administration and governance, architectural excellence, urban planning, water and land management, art and culture - especially Chola bronzes and stone sculptures - as well as society, economy, literature, overseas trade, naval power, and military strength. Together, the statue and the museum aim to present a comprehensive portrait of one of Tamil civilisation's most influential dynasties.​

- IANS