​Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates Statue of Equality

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 5^th February 2022 unveiled the Statue of Equality in Telangana's capital city Hyderabad. The statue is of saint and philosopher Sri Ramanujacharya who was one of the first who fought against social, cultural, gender, educational, and economic discrimination.

Statue of Equality:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 5^th February 2022 inaugurated a 216-foot tall 'Statue of Equality, commemorating Sri Ramanujacharya who promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of living and drove home the 11th-century Bhakti saint's message of equality of all. Hailing Ramanujacharya's message of equality of all humans, Modi said the saint has been an inspiration to the country's unity and integrity. The inauguration of the statue is part of the ongoing 12-day celebrations of his 1,000th birth anniversary.

Know all about Saint Ramanujacharya:

Saint Ramanujacharya is believed to be born in the year 1071 in Tamil Nadu and is revered as a Vedic philosopher and social reformer. Ramanujacharya traveled across the country to propagate his teachings, spreading the message of equality and social justice to his disciples.

One of his key contributions towards the country was reviving the Bhakti movement, with his preaching inspiring other Bhakti schools of thought. He also acted as the inspiration for many notable poets such as Annamacharya, Bhakt Ramdas, Thyagaraja, Kabir, and Meerabai.

Apart from being a notable philosopher, Ramanuja was also believed to be an environmentalist as he appealed for the protection of nature and its resources like air, water, and soil. He wrote the navaratanas, which is the combination of nine scriptures, and composed various commentaries of the Vedic script.

Ramanujacharya often encouraged temples to open their doors to everyone, irrespective of their caste, creed, or gender. He was often a firm believer of the fact that everyone should be educated in a society, even when certain sections were barred from it.

Here's everything you need to know about Hyderabad’s Statue of Equality

The Statue of Equality is a 216-feet-tall sitting statue of the Bhakti Saint Ramanujacharya, who promoted the concept of equality throughout India. The statue has been constructed in his honor, as he always worked towards the upliftment of society as a whole.

The Statue of Equality is made of 'panchaloha', a combination of five metals: gold, silver, copper, brass, and Zinc, and is one of the tallest sitting statues in the world. It has been mounted on a 54-feet-tall base building called the Bhadra Vedi.

As per the government release, the statue has floors dedicated to a Vedic digital library and a research center, along with ancient Indian texts, a theatre, and an educational gallery consisting of the many works of Saint Ramanajucharya.