The Statue of Unity is the world tallest statue with the height of 182 meters (597 feet). It is located at near the Kevadia Town, Narmada District, Gujarat State, in the country of India.
The Statue of Unity was facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam 100 km (62 miles) to the southeast of the city of Vadodara. This statue was belongs to the Indian statesman and the Independence activist Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875 – 1950).
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first deputy prime & home minister in independent India. He was dedicated to the teachings and principles of Mahatma Gandhi.
Historical monument Statue of Unity project was initially announced in 2010 and construction commenced in 7th October 2013. The Indian company “Larsen and Toubro” undertook the construction of the project. The total estimation cost of the construction was amounted to INR 27 Billion ($422 million USD).
Indian sculptor “Ram V. Sutar” was responsible for designing the statue. The inauguration of the statue was carried out by Indian Prime Minister “Narendra Modi”. The Statue of Unity inaugurated at 31st October 2018. This day is also marked as the 143rd anniversary of Sri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
After the opening of the ‘Statue of Unity’ to the public on 1st November 2018, in just 11 days over 128,000 tourists were visited this statue. Now, it was a well-visited tourist spot. In November 2019, the site received an average of 15,036 tourists per day. Now, it attracts around 10,000 daily visitors on average. It was outpacing many other tourist destinations.
World tallest statue “The Statue of Unity” was gained the international recognition.
Statue of Unity was included in the list of “8 Wonders of SCO” by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). It was a prestigious achievement that highlights the statue’s significance and popularity as a tourist attraction.
Statue of Unity, during its inaugural year, welcomed 2.9 million visitors. The ticket revenue earned during this period was around INR 82 crore ($11.64 million USD).
In 15th March 2021, the total number of “Statue of Unity” visitors had reached 5,000,000.
These figures indicate the significant popularity and success of the tourist attraction. It had visited by 1 Crore (10 million) people by the November 2022.
The execution of the Statue of Unity project was overseen by a society named Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET). The Chief Minister of Gujarat was appointed as the chairman of SVPRET. The formation of SVPRET helped to ensure effective management and coordination of the project.
The Statue of Unity movement was initiated in the year of 2013.
The movement aimed to collect iron that was required for the construction of the statue. Farmers are requested to donate their used farming instruments as a contribution to the movement. This initiative helped to involve the local community in the construction of the statue.
A total of 135 metric tons of scrap iron was collected as part of the Statue of Unity Movement. After processing, 109 tons of this iron was used to make the foundation of the statue. This underscores the significance of the Statue of Unity Movement in contributing to the construction of the statue.
The “Run for Unity marathon” was held in support of the Statue of Unity project. The marathon was held on 15th December 2013. The event was held in both the cities of “Surat and Vadodara” in India. The marathon was intended to raise awareness about the project and garner support for its construction.
The Statue of Unity was designed to be taller than the previous record holder. The previous record holder was the “Spring Temple Buddha” was located in China’s Henan province. The Statue of Unity rises 54 meters (177 feet) higher than the Spring Temple Buddha. This makes the Statue of Unity the tallest statue in the world.
In India, the previous tallest statue was of Lord Hanuman. It was located at the Paritala Anjaneya Temple. The temple is situated near Vijayawada city, Andhra Pradesh State, India. This Lord Hanuman statue can be seen within the 7km (4.3 miles) radius.
The Statue of Unity was constructed on a river island named Sadhu Bet. Sadhu Bet is located around 3.2 km (2.0 miles) away from the Narmada Dam downstream.
Here, a museum features multiple zones for visitors to explore. In the initial zone of the museum, visitors can peruse through an array of exhibits. The exhibits in the first zone detail the life and notable achievements of Sardar Patel.
Visitors have the opportunity to learn about Sardar Patel’s life and achievements at the museum. One of the main exhibits in the museum covers Patel’s role as the first deputy prime minister and home minister of independent India.
The location of the statue on an island in the Narmada River offers a picturesque for visitors. The statue and its surroundings cover an area of more than 2 hectares (4.9 acres).
The “Statue of Unity” is surrounded by a 12 km (7.5 miles) long artificial lake.
In Narmada River downstream, the artificial lake was formed by the Garudeshwar weir. The artificial lake and the statue’s location on Sadhu Bet Island together create a beautiful and serene environment for visitors.
Visitors can also learn about Patel’s contributions to the country during this time. The museum has an adjoining audiovisual gallery that visitors can explore.
The audiovisual gallery provides a 15-minute-long presentation on Patel’s life and achievements. In addition to information on Patel, the gallery also describes the tribal culture of the state.
The concrete towers are forming the statue legs that contain the 2 elevators each. The each of the lift can carry 26 people at a time to view the gallery in just 20 seconds. The gallery was located at the height of 153 meters (502 feet) and it can hold up-to 200 people.
