Kerala to Unveil 8-Foot Bronze Statue of Sree Narayana Guru in Kollam

A bronze statue of Sree Narayana Guru, depicted with a serene expression and holding a palm-leaf manuscript, will be installed at the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex in Kollam. The statue will arrive on Saturday evening from Kanayi on the banks of Vannathipuzha. The official unveiling will be conducted by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday at 10 a.m.

The statue, measuring eight feet in height and five feet in width, was completed over two years under the leadership of sculptor Unni Kanayi. Initially, a clay model was created and approved by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Lalithakala Academy officials, and the swamis of Shivashiri Math. After molding in Plaster of Paris, layering with wax, and applying various types of clay, the statue was finally cast in bronze, using approximately 800 kilograms of bronze.

Unni Kanayi expressed that being entrusted with creating the statue of Sree Narayana Guru for Kollam was a great honor. The creation process was supported by artists including Suresh Ammanappara, Vinesh Koikkil, Balan Pacheni, Ratheesh Virakan, Shinejith Kunjumangalam, T.K. Abhijith, Arjun Kanayi (Unni’s son), C. Suresh, and M.K. Sreekumar.

About Sculptor Unni Kanayi

Unni Kanayi, renowned for his sculpting talent, began his career by creating a statue of the linguist Thunchath Ezhuthachan at age 25 for Kadappalli Government HSS. He has since completed numerous sculptures across Kerala and abroad. Notable works include the large Shiva sculpture at Thalipparamba Rajarajeshwari Temple, Manjulaal Garuda at Guruvayur Temple, and bronze statues of Mahatma Gandhi, P. Krishna Pillai, A.K.G., EMS, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, E.K. Nayanar, K. Karunakaran, C.H. Kanaran, and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

He has already created 84 Gandhi statues in Kerala, and his work is also featured in museums in Cuba. A four-foot bronze statue of Che Guevara and Kattivannur Veeran created by him was handed over to Che Guevara’s granddaughter Alind Guevara in Kannur by Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. His next project is a sculpture of V.S. Achuthanandan, for which the order has already been received.

This statue of Sree Narayana Guru in Kollam is part of continuing efforts to honor the Guru’s legacy and his contribution to Kerala’s social and cultural renaissance.