'Statue of Equality' unveiled by PM Modi: All you need to know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Statue of Equality in Hyderabad this evening commemorating the 11th-century Hindu saint Sri Ramanujacharya.

A press release by the government says the saint was someone “who promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of living including faith, caste and creed”.

Here’s all you need to know about the Statue of Equality:

The 216-foot tall statue is among the tallest metallic sitting statues in the world.

The inauguration of the Statue of Equality is a part of the 12-day Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham, the ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of the saint, a PIB release said.

The statue is located in a 45-acre complex on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The foundation stone was laid in 2014.

The project cost Rs 1,000 crores and was funded fully by donations from devotees all over the world.

The statue has been constructed on a base building “Bhadra Vedi” that is 54 ft tall.

The building has floors for a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre and an educational gallery detailing the works of Ramanujacharya.

The base will have a meditation hall where a small, 120 kg gold statue of the saint, will represent the years he lived.

The statue consists of five metals or "panchaloha" namely gold, silver, zinc, brass and copper.

The Statue of Equality was conceptualised by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram.

There are 108 Divya Desams (ornately carved temples) surrounding the Statue of Equality. The Prime Minister took a tour of the Divya Desams as well before the inauguration.