Madness for giant sculptures in India
Giant statues built in India have become a new trend in the country.
The country, which unveiled the 182-meter statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one of the pro-independence leaders, the world’s tallest statue, with a ceremony in 2018, has been experiencing a sculpture frenzy of late.
Finally, the 38 meter tall bronze statue of former reformist leader Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was erected in the city of Hyderabad. The giant statue, built as six libraries, will open to the public on April 14.
About 40,000 people are expected to be transported to the region by buses for the opening ceremony to be held on the birthday of Ambedkar, who died in 1956. At the ceremony, official authorities are expected to rain flowers on the statue , which cost £3.9 million to build, in helicopters.
The 137-meter Ambedkar statue under construction in Mumbai will be the third-tallest statue in the world.
The world’s tallest statue in Gujarat, which opened in 2018 in India, the “land of giant statues”, broke the record for the 153-meter Buddha statue in China, whose construction was completed in 2008.
The 182-meter statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel may not hold the record for the world’s tallest statue for long.
However, as the fever for giant sculptures continues in the country, it seems that Patel’s record for the tallest sculpture will be broken.
The state of Uttar Pradesh has rolled up its sleeves to build the 221-meter bronze statue of the Hindu god Ram. Preparations are underway for the 212-meter statue of the warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who lived in Mumbai in the 17th century.
Although the spending of wealth on giant statues, where thousands of people worked on the country’s years-long construction work, drew some criticism, officials argue the statues will spur tourism and reflect the country’s national pride.