Statue of Equality
Dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 5 this year, it is the second tallest sitting statue in the world. It commemorates 11th-century Vaishnavaite saint Bhagavad Ramanuja’s 1,000 birth anniversary. The statue is located at Muchintal in Hyderabad, near the Hyderabad International Airport. It is a 216-feet-tall statue that is made of Panchaloha (an alloy of five metals) and weighs 60,000 kg. The Bhadra-vedi, or the base building of the statue, is shaped like Sri-yantra and it is 54- ft high. The Padma-Beetham, with 36 elephants and 108 lotus-leaf structures, is 27 feet while Tridandam (sacred flagstick) is 153 ft. A 120-kilo gold idol of Ramanujacharya is in the inner sanctum and 108 Divya Desams, ornately carved replicas of various Indian temples, surround the statue. The project comprises a 45-acre complex and the total cost incurred was Rs 1,000 crore (all donations).
