Thiruvananthapuram: The huge sculpture of a mermaid at Shankumugham Beach, which was sculpted by famed sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman, has been adjudged the ‘largest merperson sculpture’ in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.
The sculpture of a nude mermaid reclining in a shell was made using concrete in an iron framework and lowered 6 feet under the ground. It is 87 feet long and 25 ft high.
Mermaid is locally known as sagarakanyaka, jalakanyaka or matsyakanyaka. Merperson is a mythological creature with a human upper half (head, arms, and torso) and a piscine lower half.
The Kerala Tourism Department had entrusted Kanayi Kunhiraman with the work in 1990. After much deliberation, a mermaid was decided to be sculpted matching the nature and geography of the place. After the work began, there were many hurdles and crises.
“The then District Collector had ordered to stay the work citing complaints from the public that it was obscene. I met the then Chief Minister K Karunakaran. He gave stringent directions to the Collector and ordered to facilitate everything to complete the work of the sculpture. The Collector later apologised,” Kanayi remembers.
It took two years to complete the work. Kanayi did not take any remuneration for the work.
The sculptor is sad the Government still does not realise the value of the sculpture; however, the news of the Guinness record has gladdened him.
