Friends Turn Hostile
On 6/12/1964 the first stone was cut. At first the Memorial was only an idea – of just a statue. Out of all naturally evolved ideas, the ultimate plan that emerged was a very big plan. The original estimate was Rs 6 lakhs, then it was Rs 60 /80 lakhs and finally it came to 1 crore 35 lakhs.
The Rock was first to be tested to ascertain whether it was solid or not. Experts made 70 feet bore on the Rock, took tones from the bore and sent them to a laboratory. Test indicated that the whole Rock was solid from inside & outside. Then there was an electricity resistance test which found the Rock solid.
From where are we to bring the required stones? From Ambasamudram, we brought grey granite, and red granite from Tuticorin. And now the stone dressing! The whole work was done in traditional style. A sketch of the complete Memorial was first prepared in parts. I mean, a sketch of the entire building from the basement to the dome, in courses or segments. There were 26 courses, if I remember correctly. For each of these 26 courses, estimates had to be worked out as to how many stones were to be there, what was to be the corner stone etc. Every stone had to be individually taken into account and dressed to correct dimensions. All the pillars, pedestals, beams were individually dressed first & then assembled.
The chiseling & dressing of stones started on 6th November 1964 on the ground where our exhibition now stands. We thought we would be able to start the work on the Rock when get half the stones ready. The actual construction started on the Rock in 1967. When we were doing this, we approached the Govt for permission for the Dhyana Mandapam – Meditation Hall. We put up an application for Sri Mandapam. Govt officials were very helpful to us.
An Unforeseen Problem- came from the temple authorities. When we made the application for the Sripada Mandapam, the Govt Officers gave us permission immediately. In a routine way they forwarded the sketch of the Mandapam to the Collector who by mistake or otherwise sent the application & design to the Kanyakumari Devaswom Board for comments. All the trustees were quite right but one persuaded the others that the Sripada Mandapam on the Rock would be a source of revenue and the temple must have a share of it. They wrote to the Govt that had no objection to the erection of the Sripada Mandapam on the Rock on condition, that after construction, it would be handed over to it for management. Then alone they would allow it.
See how they behaved. I went to Trivandrum because this Kanyakumari Devaswom Board was part of the Travancore Board, Kanyakumari being a part of Travancore State then. When Kanyakumari went to Tamil Nadu, the then Travancore Board was bifurcated & Kanyakumari Devaswom Board was formed with a provision that the Maharaja’s nominee would be there as trustee. (i.e. one out of three). I was keen to establish that this Rock was part of the temple property so that I could plead that the Govt had no locus standi as the Board had given us permission, as it was their property.
I went to the Maharaja & Travancore Devaswom Board and requested them to find give me a copy of some records to show that this rock in the sea was a part of the Kanyakumari property. But inspite of valiant efforts they could not find any. Due to the adamant attitude of the Board I wrote to the Tamil Nadu govt and challenged: This Kanyakumari Devaswom Board has no locus standi whatsoever on the Rock. I am prepared to prove it. I knew that it couldn’t get evidence. The matter was referred to the Commissioner, Religious Endowments to make a probe and submit his findings. The Commissioner gave his verdict that the Board’s claim was without any foundation. Then we got permission in December 1968.
Another Tussle – Friends am sharing very briefly. Some people approached Sir P T Rajan, President of the Tamil Nadu Memorial Committee & suggested that a statue of the Raja of Ramnad be also on the Rock since he was one of those who had helped Swamiji go to America. When the matter was put to vote Sir Rajan was the only person who voted for it, was defeated. He resigned at the General Body.
The inauguration was about 15 days away. Shri Karunanidhi had not visited the Rock before. When he went around & saw everything minutely he asked some of his colleagues, “How is it that nobody told me such a wonderful thing has come up on the Rock in my own State?”