18-ft-tall Kali idol carved out of single marble stone to be sent from Jaipur to Kerala temple

Jaipur: The famed Rajasthan marbles are all set to go into the history books as an 18.5-feet-tall Kali idol carved out of a single marble stone is all set to be sent from Jaipur to Pournamikavu Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

Carved by famous Jaipur-based sculptor Mukesh Bhardwaj, a single marble stone 30x20 feet weighing 45-50 tonnes from Bhainslana in Rajasthan, was turned into the exquisite idol that will be installed beside 12-ft-tall idols of goddesses Durga and Raja Madhanghi Devi at the temple in Kerala.

The Kali idol stood at 23 feet after including the 'peedam'.

"The installation ceremony of Goddess Kali idol and that of goddesses Durga and Lakshmi will be akin to the Ram temple pran prathishtha ceremony, albeit it will be the abode of powerful and revered Hindu goddesses," said temple chief curator M S Bhuvanachandran, claiming it was the tallest idol carved out of a single marble stone.

All three idols are being sent from Jaipur to the temple in Chavadi Nada, Venganur, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

The Pournamikavu Temple, dedicated to Goddess Bala Thripura Sundari Devi, is renowned for housing the world's largest panchmukhi Ganesha idol and 51 'Akshara Devathas'.

The Pournamikavu Temple stands as the sole pilgrimage in the country devoted to 'Akshara Devathas', temple authorities claimed.

The idols will be accompanied by their respective 'vahanas' - lion, tiger, peacock and swan - during its journey from Jaipur to Thiruvananthapuram via road trailers.

The idols were loaded to be transported on Sunday after a puja ceremony but will begin its journey on Monday.