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Statue of Unity
Statue of Unity.jpg
Coordinates 21°50′17″N 73°43′09″E / 21.8380°N 73.7191°E / 21.8380; 73.7191
Location Narmada Valley Kevadiya, Narmada, Gujarat, India
Designer Ram V. Sutar
Type Statue
Material Steel framing, reinforced by concrete and brass coating, bronze cladding
Height 182 meters (597 ft)
Beginning date 31 October 2013 (2013-10-31)
Completion date 30 October 2018
Opening date 31 October 2018
Dedicated to Vallabhbhai Patel

The Statue of Unity is the world's tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres (597 feet), located near Kevadia in the state of Gujarat, India. It depicts Indian statesman and independence activist Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950), who was the first deputy prime minister and home minister of independent India and an adherent of Mahatma Gandhi. Patel is highly respected for playing a significant role in the political integration of India. The statue is located in Gujarat on the Narmada River in the Kevadiya colony, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of the city of Vadodara.

The project was first announced in 2010, and construction started in October 2013 by Indian company Larsen & Toubro, with a total construction cost of ₹27 billion (US$422 million). It was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on 31 October 2018, the 143rd anniversary of Patel's birth.

Features

Narendra Modi visiting the Museum, Exhibition and the Viewers’ Gallery, during the dedication of the ‘Statue of Unity’ to the Nation, on the occasion of the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, at Kevadiya, in Narmada District of Gujarat (3)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the museum within the complex

The Statue of Unity is the world's tallest statue at 182 metres (597 ft). It rises 54 metres (177 ft) higher than the previous record holder, the Spring Temple Buddha in China's Henan province. The previous tallest statue in India was the 41 m (135 ft) tall statue of Lord Hanuman at the Paritala Anjaneya Temple near Vijayawada in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The statue can be seen within a 7 km (4.3 mi) radius.

The monument is constructed on a river island named Sadhu Bet, 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away from and facing the Narmada Dam downstream. The statue and its surroundings occupy more than 2 hectares (4.9 acres), and are surrounded by a 12 km (7.5 mi) long artificial lake formed by the Garudeshwar weir downstream on the Narmada river.

The statue is divided into five zones of which only three are accessible to the public. From its base to the level of Patel's shins is the first zone which has three levels and includes the exhibition area, mezzanine and roof. The first zone also contains a memorial garden and a museum. The second zone reaches up to Patel's thighs, while the third extends up to the viewing gallery at a height of 153 metres. The fourth zone is the maintenance area while the final zone comprises the head and shoulders of the statue.

The museum in the first zone catalogues Patel's life and contributions. An adjoining audio-visual gallery provides a 15-minute long presentation on Patel and also describes the tribal culture of the state. The concrete towers which form the statue's legs contain two elevators each. Each lift can carry 26 people at a time to the viewing gallery in just over 30 seconds. The gallery is located at a height of 153 metres (502 ft) and can hold up to 200 people.

Tourism

Over 128,000 tourists visited the statue in the first eleven days of its opening to the public on 1 November 2018. It has been included in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's '8 Wonders of SCO' list. In its first year of operation, the Statue of Unity attracted 2,900,000 visitors and collected ₹82 crore (US$11.64 million) in ticket revenue. By 15 March 2021, 5 million tourists visited the venue. It was visited by 10 million people by November 2022. In five years since opening, the statue attracted over 15 million cumulative visitors.

Images for kids

  • Sardar patel (cropped)

    Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement and responsible for the unification of 562 princely states to form the modern political boundary of India.

  • Praful Patel, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Dinsha J. Patel and other dignitaries at the unveiling ceremony of the statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel

    The Statue of Unity is an enlarged version of this statue in the Ahmedabad International Airport

  • Statue of Unity under construction

    Statue of Unity under construction in August 2016

  • The statue of unity under construction (7)

    The statue under construction in January 2018

  • ‘Statue of Unity’, on the occasion of the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, at Kevadiya, in Narmada District of Gujarat on October 31, 2018 (1) (cropped)

    Statue of Unity, as dedicated on 31 October 2018

  • Statue from highway

    Statue of Unity, as seen from the highway

  • Statue lawns

    Statue of Unity, as seen across the lawns

  • Statue001

    Statue of Unity, seen from the paved approach walkway

  • Statue of Unity - View from the other bank of Narmada

    View from the opposite bank or river Narmada

  • Statue of Unity - Close Shot from the other bank of Narmada

    Upper portion of the statue. Viewing gallery at a height of 130m is also seen.

  • Statue of Unity Sign Board

    Statue of Unity sign board across the river

  • Statue of Unity in 2018

    Skyline of Statue of Unity

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Estatua de la Unidad para niños

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