The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘statue’ as ‘A representation in the round of a person, animal, etc., which is sculptured, moulded, or cast in marble, metal, plaster, or a similar material.’ A statue serves a commemorative purpose for the geographical location. It may also connote religious beliefs, political aspects, or cultural currency. While there are many statues of national and international significance, this list focuses on the biggest statues in the Indian subcontinent; a source of Indian pride.
Statue of Unity
There would hardly be anybody who remains oblivious to the contribution of Sardar Vallabhai Patel in the formation of the newly independent India. Patel was the one who ensured that the princely states united once and for all engendering the idea of a united India. In 2010, the then chief minister of Gujrat, Narendra Modi announced the statue as an ode to our first home minister. The biggest statue in the Indian subcontinent; the Statue of Unity was designed by the sculptor Ram V Sutar. It is also the biggest statue in the world towering at 597 ft. (182 m).
Statue of Belief (Vishwas Swaroopam)
In April 2013, Indian businessman, Madan Paliwal conceived the idea of constructing the biggest Shiva statue in India, a dream which was finally realized in August 2019. The statue, located at Nathdwara, Rajasthan, features an effigy of a seated Lord Shiva. The enormous statue ranges to 369 ft. (112.4m). It was designed by sculptor Naresh Kumawat.
Statue of Equality (Ramunaja)
The idea of this statue was conjured up by ascetic Chinna Jeeyar, who approached architect DNV Prasad Sthapathi for the same. The construction began in May 2014. The statue is located at Muchintal, Telangana. It features the image of a seated 11th-century philosopher, Ramanuja, towering at 216 ft. (66 m.)
Dr BR Ambedkar Statue
The statue located at Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad, Telangana is the biggest Ambedkar statue in India. It reaches a recorded height of 175 ft. (53.34). The statue was designed by Ram V Sutar alongside his son, Anil Ram Sutar.
Hanuman Statue
Besides the river Krishna, Andhra Pradesh sits the biggest Hanuman statue in India. Started as a dream, Jayi Ramanamurty, a devotee soon received donations from his community. The construction began in 2005 and finished in 2020. The Hanuman statue is 171ft. (52m) in height.
Panchmukhi Hanuman Statue
The Panchmukhi Hanuman statue, located at Bidanagere, Karnataka is the second biggest Hanuman statue in India. The 161 ft. (49m) tall statue was unveiled in 2022 by the Karnataka chief minister, Basavaraj Bommai.
Muthumalai Murugan Statue
The statue dedicated to Lord Murugan was completed in 2022 and has a height of 146 ft. (44.5m). It is located in Salem, Tamil Nadu. The Muthumalai Murugan Statue was designed by Thiruvarur Thiyagarajan, and commissioned by Natarajan Sridhar, chairman of the Sri Muthumalai Murugan Trust.
Maa Vaishno Devi Statue
In 2010, the biggest Vaishno Devi statue was unveiled in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. The statue, which is 141 ft (43m) tall, was designed by Manoj Das, Ashish Tanwar, and Vinit Chaudhary. It was commissioned by the Maa Vaishno Devi Dham.
Veera Abhaya Anjaneya Hanuman Swami
The third biggest Hanuman statue in India was built in 2003 as a part of the Paritala Anjaneya Temple. It stands at 171 ft (52m). It was designed by renowned sculptor V Subrahmaniam Acharalu.
Thiruvalluvar Statue
Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapathy, designed the Thiruvalluvar Statue (Valluvar Statue), however the idea was given by CM M. Karunanidhi. The 133 ft. (40.5 m) tall statue features the image of philosopher Valluvar. The statue was unveiled in 2000, at the start of the 21st century.
Tathagata Tsal
The Tathagata Tsal is the biggest Buddha Statue in India. It is located in Ravangla, Sikkim. It is also known as Buddha Park. The statue towers at 128 ft. (39 m) and is built of 60 tonnes of copper. It was consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama in March 2013.
Photo Courtesy – Realty Plus Magazine
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