Guruvayur Kesavan, a standing monument to Dathan

GURUVAYUR: The statue of the legendary tusker, Guruvayur Kesavan, at the Sreevalsam compound here, by sculptor M R D Dathan will remain as a befitting monument for him.

Dathan took more than a year to give life to Guruvayur Kesavan, a household name in the state.

The managing committee headed by P T Mohanakrishnan had invited Dathan to make the statue of Guruvayur Kesavan in 1981.

He spent many days at Anakkotta and took measurements of various tuskers, which resembled Kesavan who died on Ekadasi Day in 1976.

The statue was completed in 1982. The statue has 12 ft 7 inches height and costs Rs 1.83 lakh. The then Chief Minister, K Karunakaran, unveiled the statue on November 23, 1982.

Dathan used to stand beside the statue for hours while visiting Guruvayur. He also has designed art works on the pillars of the Kulappura building of the temple. Dathan was a devotee of Lord Krishna and maintained friendship with many here. The statue of Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, a great devotee of Guruvayurappan and author of Narayaneeyam, at Illapparambu in Malappuram was also done by Dathan.