Says ‘Ramanujacharya’s values will strengthen India’

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday unveiled the ‘Statue of Equality’ to commemorate the 11th-century Bhakti Saint Sri Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad and said the statue will encourage youth and will be a symbol of knowledge, detachment and ideals.

“Statue of Equality will encourage youth. This statue of Ramanujacharya ji is a symbol of his knowledge, detachment, and ideals,” PM Modi said after the inauguration, adding, “It is not important to leave your roots for development. Ramanujacharya ji worked for the Dalit community.”

The 216-feet tall statue of Sri Ramanujacharya, who promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of living including faith, caste and creed in the 11th century, 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, in the world.

PM Modi, clad in golden yellow colour cloth, visited 108 Divya Desam (temples), 1035 homa kundas and the entire area before inaugurating the gigantic statue along with Sri Tridandi Chinajeeyar Swamy.

“A great leader and advocate of equality — Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a big follower of Sri Ramanujacharya Ji and abided by his principles on an equal society for all. Ramanujacharya ji gave composition for Sanskrit Granth and gave Tamil language an equal importance in Bhakti Marg,” PM Modi said.

The PM chanted slokas of Vedas and expressed happiness at the dedication of the statue on the auspicious occasion of Vasant Panchami. He participated in the ‘Purnahuti’ of ‘Vishwaksena Ishti Yagya’. The Yagya is for the fulfilment of resolutions and goals.

The PM offered the ‘Sankalpa’ of the Yagya for the ‘Amrit’ Sankalp of the country and dedicated the Yagya to 130 crore countrymen. He recalled the Indian tradition of its scholars that views knowledge above rebuttal and acceptance-rejection. “If we have ‘advait’ then we have ‘dvait’ too and we also have Sri Ramanujacharya’s ‘Vishishtadvaita’ that encompasses both ‘dvait-advait’,” Modi said.

The statue is mounted on a 54-ft high base building, named ‘Bhadra Vedi’, 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.

During the programme, 3D Presentation Mapping on the life journey and teaching of Sri Ramanujacharya was showcased.

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 Sri Ramanujacharya.