CHENNAI, INDIA, November 22, 2003: A “panchaloha” (five metal) icon of Lord Nataraja, claimed to be the world’s tallest and weighing two tons, would be airlifted to Switzerland from here tomorrow. The 11-feet-tall icon was sculpted in a village in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu for the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) in Geneva. Nearly 24 sculptors in Thimmakudi village toiled day and night for the past six months to create the Nataraja icon. The NPC Switzerland had requested the Indian Nuclear Power Corporation for a panchaloha icon. The job was entrusted to the sculptors in the village at a cost of around US$32,000. HPI adds: If anyone knows more about the installation of the Nataraja in Switzerland, kind e-mail ar@hindu.org.
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