HYDERABAD: Sri Ramanujacharya’s Statue of Equality made of Panchaloha which stands 216-feet-tall, reflects the mammoth struggle for change which the social reformer had championed a 1,000 years ago. Located in a temple town inside the Chinna Jeeyar Swamy’s ashram near Muchintal, the statue will be dedicated to the world by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 5.
The statue can’t be looked at in isolation, as the 108 Divya Desams (temples), theatres, state-of-the-art galleries which preach equality and diversity, all at one place, are certain to amaze its visitors for generations.Fusion could be the right word to use as Kakatiyan, Kalinga, Rajasthani and other native temple architecture was used to build the 108 Divya Deshams, as per Agama Shastra and Shilpi Shastra.
Butter in construction
Two striking aspects in the construction were using native soil for installing each of the idols in the temples and the mixture of 8 herbs combined with butter, which works as a thickening and sticking agent to hold the idols to the base where they are being erected in the temples.
Black marble from Rajasthan
The 468 pillars used to support the temples are made of black marble sourced from Baseslala in Rajasthan, carved by around 200 sculptors from northern India to perfection. The pillars with a parrot sitting on a crocodile and a woman riding a parrot were made in China with black marble.
54-ft-high platform
The gigantic statue which is surrounded by the 108 temples is the architectural marvel of modern times. The statue is mounted on a 54-foot-high platform named Bhadravedi, which is a three-storey structure. Scaling 108 steps leads to the statue, which is mounted on 36 elephants carrying a mosaic of lotus petals containing an animal’s sculpture placed inside each of the petals.This pattern is repeated in the walls of the four entrances of the premises, the 36-foot-tall fountain, the pillars of the temples and various structures of the Sri Ramanuja Project, which signify not only their religious importance, but also his love for the nature and all beings on whom humans have been depending for survival for ages.
Showcasing world leaders
The upper floor underneath the giant statue would present the visitors with the pictures and stories of world leaders who have worked to achieve equality (Samatha Murthys) like Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, among others. The digital photo gallery, when clicked, will show a screen explaining the history of the reformer beside the picture.The ground floor also has one such gallery, where the life story of Sri Ramanujacharya is depicted through paintings on 48 pillars which hold the structure of Bhadravedi and the statue above it.
120 kg golden idol
The floor in the middle is the most important of all, as it houses the 120 kg golden idol of Sri Ramanujacharya seated under a specially-built Gopuram. This beautifully casted and carved statue has been scrutinised by Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, who has picked up three out of 14 models received, examining them with 3D scanning. This statue is expected to be unveiled by the President Ramnath Kovind on February 12.
Granthas by Ramanujacharya
Chinna Jeeyar says that the facility would have nine Granthas written by Ramanujacharya and several ancient religious vedic texts which would be translated into other languages for the visitors to understand. The beautiful fountain and the theatre to preview the work of Ramanujacharya are special attractions of the centre.
The Yagashalas
A Vaasthu Shanti ceremony will be held on February 2 in the 144 Yagashalas near the statue complex. In every Yagashala, there would be nine differently shaped Kundas. Rituals at each of the Kundas would help people overcome their problems, say the priests. While the offerings at ‘Chapakundam’ will help people to achieve success in their endeavours, Ashwatthapatrakruthi Kundam will help couples have good progeny, they say.