God’s own country, Kerala has a plethora of amazing tourist destinations, like, the tea estates of Munnar, the backwaters of Alleppey, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, and various ancient temples. But, are you aware of the fact that Kerala is also home to the largest bird sculpture in India? Jatayu Earth’s Centre serves as the tourism project that lies at Jatayupara near Chadayamangalam town in the Kollam district of Kerala.
It is 150 feet wide, 200 feet long, and 70 feet high, which entirely makes it the world’s largest functional bird sculpture. Moreover, the Jatayu sculpture is also mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records, and also it has grabbed the first spot among the top 20 global trending tourist destinations.
Story of Jatayu
The ancient Hindu epic Ramayana includes a most significant character known as Jatayu, a great mythical god in eagle form. In certain books, Jatayu is referred to as a vulture, while in several other books it is referred to as an eagle. Jatayu is known to fall from the sky while trying to rescue Sita, the wife of Lord Rama when King Ravana kidnaps Goddess Sita.
Jatayu battles with the demon, and eventually loses its left wing. So, Jatayu fell on the rocks of Chadayamangalam in Kerala when Ravana cut off the wings of Jatayu. The rocks still have carvings of Jatayu’s marks and footprints of Lord Rama, who was with the demigod till his last breath.
This tribute to the Indian epic Ramayana serves as a depiction of women’s honor and safety and serves a special place in everyone’s heart. This is the major reason for creating Jatayu Earth’s Centre which pays tribute to the heroic deeds of Jatayu. And, people of all faiths have invested in the project, and with help of a partnership with public and private groups of the state. It almost took two years to complete the project and now the sculpture has gained immense fame.
Beautiful View of Jatayu Earth’s Centre
The center lies across 65 acres of land and is the best tourist destination that is surrounded by flora and fauna, beautiful hills, and a sustainable ecosystem. This giant and beautiful statue is built over a majestic rock known as Jatayupara that features staggering details that involve layered feathers.
The awesome eagle statue poses impressive wings that splay over the ground, and created from compact concrete, Jatayu serves as the sculpture of chivalry and valor. Jatayu depicts ancient areas where animals, humans, and birds live together in harmony.
In addition to being enormously stunning, the beautiful sculpture seems to be a nature park and an adventure park. This stunning adventurous park provides several activities like zip lining, paintball, rock climbing, and many others. People come to this place from all over India just to get a glimpse of the world’s largest bird sculpture.
Explore the place where Lord Rama found the dying Jatayu and performed Jatayu’s last funeral rites with full dedication. Experience the sculpture’s long mythological eagle on its back which includes outstretched wings that entirely depict its fall after bravely fighting against asura Ravana.
Jatayu Earth Centre
Explore the majestic bird sculpture that includes an observation deck amidst bird’s eyes, and you can grab a great view of the city side from there. Inside the bird’s wing, there is a 6D theater along with an integrated paintball station. Visiting the enormous Jatayu Earth’s Centre serves as an experience, you can reach the place by cable car or helicopter. So, add this beautiful destination to your bucket list, and get there with family and friends and enjoy a picnic with them there. A perfect place for Indian mythology lovers that brings the epic Ramayana to life.
Ensure to explore the most amazing thing while visiting the sculpture on the hill’s top – a pond that lies near the rock that never becomes dry. It is believed that the pond was created with the Jatayu’s beak, and near the pond, you can visit the pious Lord Rama temple. Moreover, enjoy various adventurous hills, adjacent to Jatayu rock, that provide several exciting activities for tourists. So, plan a trip to this place and make it more worthwhile.
Timings and Entry Fees of Jatayu Earth Center
- The fee for visiting Jatayu Earth’s center is INR 250 along with an additional INR 250 if you are taking a cable car, plus taxes.
- The stunning Jatayu Earth’s Centre timings are from 10 am to 6 pm and the center remains open all days of the week.
- One major thing to know while doing a booking for Jatayu Earth’s Centre is that they only accept cash.
Four Hills of Jatayu Earth’s Centre
The stunning center includes four hills that make up the entire campus, and every hill provides amazing activities and sights to behold.
1. Jatayu Rock Hill
- It is the major attraction of the center, as it is the hill where the sculpture lies.
- The statue stands as a historic symbol of women’s safety and is considered to be the largest sculpture.
- Moreover, inside the sculpture, there is a great availability of almost 15,000 square feet of space.
- The sculpture inside the area includes a mini theater and a museum.
2. Adventure Rock Hill
Hill two involves the Jatayu adventure center which provides tourists with a huge range of adventurous activities, like archery, rifle shooting, trekking, and various others.
3. Elephant Rock Hill
This hill includes camping facilities, along with 250-meter sky cycling and zip lining. Enjoy moonlight dinner and campfires along with live music.
4. Kitchen Rock Hill
This hill serves as a rejuvenation and wellness center that involves traditional Siddha rejuvenation and wellness therapy inside natural caves. Jatayu Nature Park, totally engulfed by herbal gardens that lie in nature’s lap, offers several wellness packages.
How to Reach Jatayu Earth Centre
The Jatayu Earth Centre is situated at a distance of 48 km from Trivandrum and is about 37 km from Kollam city of Kerala. You can reach the center via air and the nearest airport to the center is Thiruvananthapuram, from the airport you can take a taxi to the center.
Reach the center via train, and the nearest station is Kollam junction, and from there you can take a taxi to the center. Moreover, the center is properly connected with the road network of Kerala, and you can travel via road while enjoying the pleasurable road view, as road trips in Kerala cast a spell.
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