Moncure, North Carolina, USA: A Hindu nonprofit organisation is planning a massive temple complex in Moncure, North Carolina, that will include what it calls the world’s tallest statue of Lord Murugan, the revered Tamil “warrior god.”
The initiative is being led by the Carolina Murugan Temple (CMT), a registered nonprofit that has purchased over 130 acres of land near the Deep River in Chatham County. The future campus—located at 100 Murugan Circle, Moncure, NC 27559—is expected to include several cultural and spiritual facilities such as a Murugan temple, a Tamil heritage museum, a language library, and walking trails for visitors.
Moncure is a small community positioned roughly 30 miles southwest of Raleigh, 20 miles south of Chapel Hill, and 15 miles southeast of Pittsboro, the county seat of Chatham County.
According to CMT’s official website, the goal is to establish a “landmark that offers a spiritual, cultural, and linguistic experience representing Tamils around the world.” The project is being developed in multiple stages, with fundraising and construction already in progress.
Although some online reports have suggested that the Murugan statue will surpass the Statue of Liberty in height, CMT has not yet disclosed its precise measurements. The organisation simply describes it as the “world’s tallest Murugan statue.”
Lord Murugan, also known by names such as Kartikeya and Skanda, is one of the most beloved deities among Tamil Hindus in India, Sri Lanka, and global Tamil communities. Temples dedicated to Murugan often serve as cultural centres that preserve Tamil traditions and promote community unity among the diaspora.
November 3, 2025
