Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled the ‘Statue of Equality’ to commemorate the 11th-century Bhakti saint Sri Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad and said the statue will encourage youth and will be a symbol of knowledge, detachment, and ideals. PM Modi landed in the city earlier this afternoon where he also attended the 50th-anniversary celebrations of ICRISAT.
“Statue of Equality will encourage youth. This statue of Ramanujacharya ji is a symbol of his knowledge, detachment, and ideals,” PM Modi said after the inauguration, adding, “It is not important to leave your roots for development. Ramanujacharya ji worked for the Dalit community.”
The 216-feet tall Statue of Sri Ramanujacharya who promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of living including faith, caste and creed in the 11th century. It is made of ‘panchaloha’, a combination of five metals gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc and is among one of the tallest metallic statues in sitting position, in the world.
PM Modi clad golden yellow colour cloth and visited 108 Divya Desam (temples), 1035 homa kundas and the entire area before inaugurating the gigantic statue along with Sri Tridandi Chinajeeyar Swamy.
“A great leader and advocate of equality- BR Ambedkar was a big follower of Sri Ramanujacharya Ji and abided by his principles on an equal society for all. Ramanujacharya Ji gave composition for Sanskrit Granth and gave Tamil language an equal importance in Bhakti Marg,” PM Modi said.
Speaking on the occasion the Prime Minister chanted slokas of Vedas, he expressed happiness to the dedication of statue on the auspicious occasion of Vasant Panchami.
“India is giving concrete shape to India’s human energy and inspirations through this grand statue of Jagadguru Sri Ramanujacharya. This statue of Sri Ramanujacharya is a symbol of his wisdom, detachment and ideals,” Narendra Modi said.
The Prime Minister participated in the ‘Purnahuti’ of ‘Vishwaksena Ishti Yagya’. The Yagya is for the fulfilment of resolutions and goals. The Prime Minister offered the ‘Sankalpa’ of the Yagya for the ‘Amrit’ Sankalp of the country and dedicated the Yagya to 130 crore countrymen.
He recalled the Indian tradition of its scholars that views knowledge above rebuttal and acceptance-rejection. “If we have ‘advait’ then we have ‘dvait’ too and we also have Sri Ramanujacharya’s ‘Vishishtadvaita’ that encompasses both ‘davit-advait’”, the Prime Minister said.
He noted that along with the pinnacle of Gyan in Sri Ramanujacharya, he is the founder of Bhakti Marg too. On the one hand, he is a saint of rich ‘Sanyaas’ tradition, he presents the importance of action in Gita Bhashya, on the other.
The Prime Minister further said, “In today’s world when it comes to social reforms, progressivism, it is believed that reforms will take place away from the roots. But, when we see Ramanujacharya, we realize that there is no conflict between progressiveness and antiquity. It is not necessary to go far from your roots for reforms. Rather it is necessary that we connect with our real roots, become aware of our real power.”
Modi elaborated on the link between the current measures and the wisdom of our saints. Sri Ramanujacharya made the country familiar with the real concept of social reforms and worked for Dalits and backwards.
“Today Sri Ramanujacharya is giving us the message of equality in the form of a grand Statue of Equality. Going along with this message, today the country is laying the foundation of its new future with the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas’,” he added.
The statue is mounted on a 54-ft high base building, named ‘Bhadra Vedi’, has floors devoted for a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, an educational gallery detailing many works of Sri Ramanujacharya. The statue has been conceptualised by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram.
During the programme, 3D Presentation Mapping on the life journey and teaching of Sri Ramanujacharya was showcased. Prime Minister visited the identical recreations of 108 Divya Desams (ornately carved temples) that surround the Statue of Equality.
Sri Ramanujacharya worked tirelessly for the upliftment of people with the spirit of every human being equal regardless of nationality, gender, race, caste or creed. The inauguration of the Statue of Equality is a part of the 12-day Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham, the ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Ramanujacharya.
Governor of Telangana Tamilisai Soundararajan, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy were among those present on the occasion.
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