Religious, cultural and social values merged perfectly in this modern day marvel at Jatayu Rock

India is a rich country in mythological and religious scriptures. Other than the old temples we do not get to see many reflection of these in recent Indian sculptures. Kerala has taken a great initiative to amalgamate socio cultural values with epic mythology and has done it perfectly.

Around 50 kms from Thiruvananthapuram the Jatayu earth's centre natural park is built. We drove for around 1:30 hours to reach this place. Built on the top of a peak the sculpture of Jatayu is absolutely brilliant. Cable cars are available to reach the top. Curved rocks on the hilltop shows the effort put to built this marvel. The summit is spacious and you can peacefully visit or simply sit quietly at one corner. A pathway and stairs are there to look at the surroundings from inside the bird. The window opens at the eye of Jatayu.

The view from the hilltop is quite beautiful specially after the monsoon. Helicopter rides are also provided for a bird's eye view of the park.

Why honor Jatayu?

A character from the epic Ramayana, Jatayu shines vividly as the symbol of women safety. Fighting bravely with Ravana he lost his life to protect Lord Rama's beloved wife Sita. Crime against women has not stopped in this era either. A symbol of bravery, fighting spirit and women safety was thus sculptured on this hill top to honor his heroics. This will likely increase some awareness among all of us about the necessities of protecting our beloved ones.

If you are planning a trip to Kerala, definitely include Jatayu park for the natural view, architectural masterpiece and social importance.