According to the Ramayana Hindu epic, Jatayu is Aruna’s younger son and is a divine bird. Sampati the demi god in vulture form is his brother. Sampati was an old friend of Rama’s father – Dasharatha. As per the Ramayana, Ravana kidnaps Sita. Jatayu sees this and tries saving Sita from Ravana’s clutches. Though Jatayu was a valiant fighter against Ravana, he was too old, hence Ravana overpowered and killed him. While dying Jatayu informs Lakshmana and Rama that he had gone south to save Sita from Ravana. Rama considers Jatayu as equal to his father and grief stricken, embraced Jatayu with gratitude and performs final rites for him. Jatayu’s loss is greater than the loss of Sita, for Lord Rama.
Legends indicate that after Ravana clipped of Jatayu’s wings, he fell on the rocks in Kerala at Chadayamangalam where his beak mark during his last breath is still held by rocks here. Lord Rama’s footprints are also seen at this place. The place was called Jatayumangalam formerly, the place accredited as the place where Jatayu fell.
The Jatayu Rock or the Jatayu Nature Park, also called the Jatayu Earth’s Centre at Chadayamangalam in Kerala’s Kolam district is an important tourism centre and park. The largest bird sculpture of Jatayu is seen, 70 feet in height, 200 feet long, 150 feet broad is seen here. The great bird sculpture of Jatayu spreads across a floor area of 15000 square feet. The park now completed in two phase developments is open to visitors from 17th August 2018.
