33-foot Shivling heads to Bihar from Tamil Nadu - 'Tallest ever carved from single piece of granite'

Photo generated by AI for representational purpose only

The tallest Shivling ever carved from a single piece of granite is now on its way from Tamil Nadu to Bihar. The massive structure, standing 33 feet tall and weighing around 210 tonnes, has been created in Mahabalipuram after years of work by skilled artisans.

The Shivling will be installed at the upcoming Virat Ramayan Temple in East Champaran district of Bihar. Once the temple is open to the public, the Shivling is expected to be one of its biggest attractions.

The Shivling was carved in the Pattikadu area near Mahabalipuram. The craftsmen spent nearly 10 years shaping and polishing the stone. Specific attention was given to its balance, smooth finish and religious design. The total cost of creating the Shivling is estimated to be around Rs 3 crore, ETV Bharat reported.

A special 96-wheel hydraulic trailer has been arranged to carry this huge structure. This vehicle has been designed to transport extremely large and heavy loads safely over long distances.

The journey from Tamil Nadu to Bihar is expected to take about 20 to 25 days. The travel time may change depending on the road conditions, traffic, and weather along the way.

Once the Shivling reaches Chakia in East Champaran, the temple committee will begin preparations for its final installation. The sacred ‘Pran-Pratishtha’ ceremony will be held at an auspicious time, likely in early 2026.

So is it really world’s tallest Shivling? Some people have questioned the claim of it being the “world’s tallest,” pointing out that a 126-foot Shivling already exists at the Maha Mrityunjay Temple in Nagaon, Assam.

However, carved from a single granite block in Pattikadu village, Tamil Nadu, the original raw block reportedly weighed close to 300 tonnes before carving. For comparison, India’s towering Shiva figures, like the 65-ft Kotilingeshwara or the 87-ft Namchi statue are constructed structures, not monoliths. This places the Mahabalipuram Shivling in a rare category.

Behind the making of the Shivling

Vinayak Venkatraman, founder of Delhi-based Kris and Vi, revealed the technical effort that went into creating the Sahasra Shivlingam. Although the contract was awarded in 2015, actual work began only in 2022, after years of searching for the right stone, securing permissions and setting up the groundwork.

The team sourced a rare “diamond granite” block from Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. The massive block, weighing nearly 300 tonnes, was transported over 700 km to Pattikadu for carving. A special multi-axle truck-trolley system, usually used to move heavy machinery like turbines and reactors, carried the stone.

The project was guided by Vinayak’s 73-year-old mother and company mentor, Hemlata, along with senior sculptor Loknath, 70. Their 24-member team combined traditional hand tools with modern machines for precise shaping.

A Shivling has three parts, the square Brahma-pitha, octagonal Vishnu-pitha and the round Shiva-pitha. The base features 1,008 miniature shivlingas arranged in 14 rows, giving it the name Sahasra Shivlingam.

Due to unpredictable weather and complex challenges, the team worked in rolling 30-day plans and followed strict approval processes, including a special permit from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to move the oversized structure.

All about Virat Ramayan Temple

The Virat Ramayan Temple is being built by the Mahavir Mandir Trust based in Patna. When completed, the temple complex will be 1,080 feet long and 540 feet wide. The outer walls will display scenes from the Ramayana. It will also include 22 smaller shrines, 18 spires and a main spire that will rise up to 270 feet.

Some key parts of the temple are already finished, including the main entrance gate, Ganesh Sthal, Singh Dwar, the Nandi statue and the piling work of the sanctum sanctorum.