HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated a 216-foot statue of Ramanujacharya here and highlighted the 11th century saint's message of equality of all.
The 'Statue of Equality' commemorates Ramanujacharya who promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of living, including faith, caste and creed.
Modi, who was on a half-day visit to the city, participated in worship at the venue at Muchintal on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
The Prime Minister participated in the 'Purnahuti' of 'Vishwaksena Ishti Yagya'. The Yagya is for fulfilment of goals. He offered the 'sankalpa' of the Yagya for the 'Amrit Sankalp' of the country and dedicated the yagya to 130 crore countrymen.
Tridandi Srimannarayana Chinna Jeeyar Swamy of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram conceptualised the statue. "Ramanujacharya demonstrated that social progress and remaining true to one's roots can go hand in hand," Modi said.
"In today's world, when it comes to social reforms and progress, it is believed that reforms will take place away from the root. But, when we see Ramanujacharya, we realise there is no conflict between progressiveness and antiquity. It is not necessary to go far from your roots for reforms. Rather, it is necessary that we connect with our real roots, become aware of our real power," he said.
Ramanujacharya is giving the message of equality in the form of a grand Statue of Equality, he said.
He emphasised that the country today is working collectively for development of all without discrimination and social justice for all so that those who have been oppressed for centuries become partners in the development of the country.
Schemes like Pucca houses, Ujjwala connections, free medical treatment up to Rs five lakh or the free electricity connections, Jan Dhan accounts, and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan have strengthened Dalits, the backward and the deprived, he said.
Describing Ramanujacharya as a shining inspiration for the unity and integrity, he said the saint was born in the South but his influence is on the whole of South to North and East to West. He said the freedom struggle was not just a fight for power and rights.
In this fight, there was a colonial mindset on one side, and the idea of live and let live on the other, he said.
On the one hand, it was a hysteria of racial superiority and materialism and on the other hand, it was a belief in humanity and spirituality. And in this battle, India and its tradition were victorious, he said.
On the richness of the Telugu culture, he spoke about 13th century Kakatiya Rudreshwara Ramappa temple in Telangana recently being declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Pochampalli in the State being recognised as the best tourism village by the World Tourism Organisation.
Modi also spoke about the glorious contribution of the Telugu film industry which is making its presence felt globally and much beyond Telugu-speaking areas.
The statue is made of 'panchaloha', a combination of five metals: gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc and is among one of the tallest metallic statues in sitting position. It is mounted on a 54-foot high base building named 'Bhadra Vedi'.
It has floors devoted for a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, an educational gallery detailing many works of Sri Ramanujacharya.
Ramanujacharya worked tirelessly for the uplift of people with the spirit of every human being equal regardless of nationality, gender, race, caste or creed.
The inauguration of the statue is a part of the 12-day Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham, the ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Ramanujacharya.
Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, religious guru i Tridandi Srimannarayana Chinna Jeeyar Swami were present on the occasion.