STATUE OF UNITY

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is known as the architect of independent India. Had it not been for his efforts, the various princely states of India would not have come together. Sardar Patel also worked for the welfare of the farmers. In order to pay homage to Patel and honour his contribution to the country, Narendra Modi announced the construction of a huge statue of this great Indian leader. The announcement was made in 2010 when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

Statue of Unity: Structure and Design

Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Patel is known for its enormous structure and elaborate design. A lot of sweat and hard work went into the making of this structure. A team of artists, historians and architects was selected to further this task. They studied various statues of Sardar Patel set up in different parts of the country. Finally, the design suggested by sculptor, Ram V. Sutar was approved and the work for the construction of this unique statue began.

The Statue of Unity is said to be a replica of the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel installed at Ahmadabad International Airport. It is just that this statue is much larger than that. The total height of the statue is 240 m (including base).  The base built for the statue is as high as 58 m. The statue built on it stands tall at a height of 182 m. It is the height of this statue that draws attention. It is the tallest statue around the globe.

Statue of Unity reflects Sardar Patel’s robust personality. In this statue, he is seen wearing a dhoti, his head is held high and there is a shawl on his shoulders. His hands are on his sides and he is wearing a pair of sandals. The height weight and other measures of the statue have been decided in a way that it stands intact amid adverse climatic conditions. This one of a kind statue can withstand wind up to 220 km per hour. It can also withstand earthquakes up to 6.5 on the Richter scale.

The Statue of Unity Movement

A drive to support the construction of the Statue of Unity was initiated by the state government of Gujarat. This was named the Statue of Unity Movement. By way of this movement, the government of Gujarat received immense help from the masses. It urged the farmers and artisans to donate their old and used equipments and people came forward to donate these in vast numbers. Scrap iron amounting to 135 metric tonnes was collected by the year 2016 with the help of this movement. Out of this, 109 tonnes was used to establish the foundation of the Statue of Unity.

Conclusion

Statue of Unity is a symbol of unity and strength. It reflects the true personality of Sardar Patel who was strong and robust. The initiative taken by PM Modi has been supported and appreciated by people in power as well as the general public. PM Modi sees this statue as an inspiration for the people of our country.