My creations are my children – Kanayi Kunhiraman

Sagarkanyaka huge Environmental sculpture executed at Shangumugham Beach, Thiruvananthapuram (1990-1992) by the famous sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman.

JALAKANYAKA (mermaid) with its resplendent pose is not just a sculpture but a landmark of Shanghumukham Beach. It is the only mermaid sculpture in India and perhaps one of the largest in the world. The exquisite Little Mermaid that overlooks the Copenhagen harbor in Denmark is tiny in comparison.

Cultural Kerala has now come together to protest against the wrong decision of the Kerala Tourism Department.

The decision to place a helicopter next to the famed Sagarakanyaka statue in Shanghumugam has also invited severe criticism from Kanayi as well as many artists across the state. “What is the connection of the helicopter and the statue? The statue was made with the idea of a mermaid unable to live in the sea and facing difficulties in land also because of polluting factors. The landscaping around it is supposed to convey the idea,” said Kanayi.

Cultural Kerala is with the sculptor on this subject. True art appreciation is about respecting the sculptor and his work. Development should not be just about commercialization.