Statue of Equality: Who was philosopher-saint Ramanujacharya? All you need to know about his 216-feet tall statue in Hyderabad

For many sections of society, Ramanujacharya is a timeless icon of equality. He opened the doors of temples to all people, including those subjected to extreme discrimination.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a 216-foot tall statue of 11th-century social reformer and saint, Ramanujacharya on the outskirts of Hyderabad today (February 5, 2022).

President Ram Nath Kovind will unveil the inner chamber`s golden statue of Ramanuja, weighing 120 kg on February 13.

Who was Sri Ramanujacharya?  

Born in 1017 in Sri Perumbudur, Tamil Nadu, Sri Ramanujacharya liberated millions from social, cultural, gender, educational and economic discrimination with the foundational conviction that every human is equal regardless of nationality, gender, race, caste, or creed. According to his followers, Ramanujacharya was one of the first who fought against social, cultural, gender, educational and economic discrimination.

He opened the doors of temples to all people, including those subjected to extreme discrimination. For many sections of society, he is a timeless icon of equality for social reformists around the world. 

He made education accessible to those who were the most deprived in those days and came up with the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva kutumbakam’, which means that all universe is one family. 

1,000th birth anniversary of Sri Ramanujacharya:

To celebrate the 1,000th birth anniversary of the saint, several events including a 1035 yajna (fire ritual), and spiritual activities such as mass mantra chanting are to be conducted as part of Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi `Samaroham`. Events will begin from February 2, and Telangana Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao will be co-hosting the event with Chinna Jeeyar Swami. Several other chief ministers, politicians, celebrities, and actors are also expected to attend the function.

As per the statement issued by Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji`s ashram, the statue billed as the world`s second-largest statue in a sitting position is situated at a 45-acre complex area on the outskirts of the city. 

"Our mission is to make Statue of Equality a culturally paramount destination for people across the globe and inspire everyone to make the world a more equal place to live. Today, as the world is fraught with divisiveness and populism, the need of the hour is Sri Ramanujacharya`s ideology. A torch bearer of Vaishnavism, Bhagavad Ramanuja distilled the essence of Vedas and ancient wisdom to promote the timeless message of equality. Inherently, non-discrimination and equality are the cornerstones of life," the Chinna Jeeyar Swami explained. The foundation stone for the project was laid in 2014. 

Interesting facts about the Statue of Equality: 

- The outdoor 216-ft Statue of Equality will be the world`s second tallest statue featuring a sitting posture. The Buddha statue in Thailand is said to be world`s tallest statue in a sitting pose.

- It is composed of `panchaloha`, a combination of five metals comprising gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc.

- The inner sanctorum deity of Sri Ramanujacharya is made of 120 kilos of gold to commemorate the 120 years the saint spent on earth.

- The Rs 1,000-crore project was funded by donations from devotees globally.

- The complex has identical recreations of 108 Divya Desams, the 108 ornately carved Vishnu temples mentioned in the works of the Alvars, mystic Tamil saints.