'Thirukkural' is written in the form of couplets (two line poems) expounding various aspects of life. It contains 1,330 couplets, divided into 133 chapters of 10 couplets each.

The pro-Kannada groups have stalled the unveiling of the Thiruvalluvar statue for the last 18 years on the ground that Tamil Nadu has not been fair to Karnataka over the sharing of Cauvery river waters and its Hogennakkal drinking water project.

The Hogennakkal project is to meet the drinking water needs of two Tamil Nadu districts bordering Karnataka.

Reciprocating Karnataka's gesture in installing statue of Thiruvalluvar, who is believed to have been born 30 years before Jesus Christ, the Tamil Nadu government had agreed to install the statue of revolutionary Kannada poet Sarvajna in Chennai.

The Sarvajna statue will be unveiled Aug 13.

Sarvajna, believed to belong to 18th century, is known for his 'Tripadis' (three-line poems) on life, religion, beliefs and problems of daily living.

Last month, Karnataka Chief Ministers B.S. Yeddyurappa and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi agreed at a meeting in Chennai on the dates to unveil the two statues.

Karunanidhi, who is holidaying in Bangalore, is expected to participate in the function to unveil the statue of Thiruvalluvar.

The Sarvajna statue was sent to Chennai in the last week of July.

The Karnataka government's decision to go ahead with the unveiling of Thiruvalluvar's statue has received support from the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and other small parties as also from leading Kannada writers such as Jnanpith awardee U.R. Ananthamurthy.