Chapter 6 : Statue of Unity

Introduction

•    The Statue of Unity honours the life of Sardar Patel, a symbol of cooperation and statesmanship. The world's tallest statue is situated 3.2 kilometres distant, opposite the Sardar Sarovar Dam, in a breathtakingly beautiful setting.
•    This enormous statue is located on the isle of Sadhu-Bet in the River Narmada in the Indian state of Gujarat, in Ekta Nagar, District Rajpipla, with the spectacular Vindhyachal and Satpura Mountain Ranges in the background.
•    The monument, built by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar, holds the record for height with its nearly 50-story height and three-tiered foundation.
•    On October 31, 2018, the 143rd anniversary of Sardar Patel's birth, it was dedicated to the country.
•    The statue is known as the "Statue of Unity" because it is credited for bringing together more than 560 princely states in pre-independent India to become the Republic of India.

Statues of Liberty and the Statue of Unity

•    The statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which is twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty, seems fitting at this moment for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that India is currently experiencing an economic expansion that is comparable to that experienced by the US at that time.
•    It's crucial to remember that they were developed by people who were worried about living in a world where everyone followed the same religion and spoke the same language—two of the most compelling forces that have the power to unify or split nations.

Feature of the Statue

•    At 182 metres from the road entry and 208.5 metres from the river entry, it will be the tallest statue in the world, surpassing China's 153-meter-tall Spring Temple Buddha and being almost twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty in New York.
•    The statue is made to appear as though it is walking on water by having its left leg slightly in front as it goes towards the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
•    The structural design process used because the 8 mm bronze coating has a two-layered component of the statue. At the lowest layer, there are two 127-meter-tall towers made of reinforced cement concrete. These towers rise above chest height.