# Kannagi statue

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Statue in Chennai, India

Statue of Kannagi

**Kannagi statue** is a statue at the [Marina Beach](/source/Marina_Beach), [Chennai](/source/Chennai), India. It is located at the intersection of Bharathi Salai and Kamarajar promenade. On 2 January 1968, it was erected as [Kannagi](/source/Kannagi_(Tamil_mythology)) holding an anklet in her hand and demanding justice.[1]

## History

In 1967, the [Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam](/source/Dravida_Munnetra_Kazhagam) (DMK) leader [C. N. Annadurai](/source/C._N._Annadurai) became chief minister of [Tamil Nadu](/source/Tamil_Nadu). His government conducted second [World Tamil Conference](/source/World_Tamil_Conference) in January 1968, Chennai. As part of the conference, the statues of the ten Tamil icons who associated with the history of [Tamil literature](/source/Tamil_literature) were erected on the marina beach. [2] This includes 10 foot bronze statue of Kannagi, a female protagonist character in the *[Silapathikaram](/source/Silapathikaram)*, one of the [Five Great Epics](/source/Five_Great_Epics) of Tamil literature.[3]

In May 2001, [All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam](/source/All_India_Anna_Dravida_Munnetra_Kazhagam) (AIADMK) leader [J. Jayalalithaa](/source/J._Jayalalithaa) became chief minister of Tamil Nadu. On 21 September 2001, she resigned due to the corruption charges. In December 2001, the AIADMK government removed the Kannagi statue after a lorry damaged the pedestal of the statue and kept it in the [Government Museum, Chennai](/source/Government_Museum%2C_Chennai).[4] While the opposition DMK alleged that the statue removed on the advice of the Jayalalithaa's astrologers as "the statue could bring misfortune to her".[1] DMK leader [M. Karunanidhi](/source/M._Karunanidhi), as a [PWD minister](/source/Tamil_Nadu_Public_Works_Department) who oversaw the 1968 conference, considered the removal of statue as a "a challenge to Tamil pride".[3] After Karunanidhi come to power in 2006, he re-installed the statue.[5]

## In popular culture

The statue is featured in a scene from the film *[Pasupathi c/o Rasakkapalayam](/source/Pasupathi_c%2Fo_Rasakkapalayam)* (2007).[6]

## See also

- [Triumph of Labour](/source/Triumph_of_Labour)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-On_Marina_beach,_Karunanidhi_k..._1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-On_Marina_beach,_Karunanidhi_k..._1-1) ["On Marina beach, Karunanidhi keeps date with Kannagi - Indian Express"](http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/on-marina-beach-karunanidhi-keeps-date-with-kannagi/4509/1). Retrieved 8 November 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1968_International_Tamil_Confe..._2-0)** ["1968 International Tamil Conference: A celebration of culture, language - and DMK"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190822165357/https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2019/04/21054415/1115066/1968-International-Tamil-Conference-A-celebration-.vpf). 21 April 2019. Archived from [the original](https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2019/04/21054415/1115066/1968-International-Tamil-Conference-A-celebration-.vpf) on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Controversy_over_a_statue..._3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Controversy_over_a_statue..._3-1) S, VISWANATHAN. ["Controversy over a statue"](https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/article30243492.ece). Retrieved 8 November 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Jaya says she did not order removal of Kannagi statue"](https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/jaya-says-she-did-not-order-removal-of-kannagi-statue/385028). Retrieved 8 November 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Kannagi statue reinstalled on Marina"](https://www.oneindia.com/2006/06/03/kannagi-statue-reinstalled-on-marina-1149347282.html). 3 June 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Star Movies (5 July 2017). [*Pasupathi co Rasakkapalayam Tamil Full Movie | Ranjith| Sindhu Tolani | Vivek*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiN3BAnusFo). Retrieved 14 March 2026 – via YouTube.

## External links

- [Bronze Statues](https://www.arturbanstatue.com/blog/life-size-bronze-statues/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kannagi statue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannagi_statue) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannagi_statue?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.