Statue of Union

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Statue of Union
Statue of Union.jpg
Statue of Union
Statue of Union
Location Sugar Land, Texas, United States
Coordinates 29°40′12″N95°37′06″W / 29.6700°N 95.6182°W / 29.6700; -95.6182
TypeStatue
Material Panchaloha
Height90 feet (27 m)
Opening dateAugust 18, 2024;13 months ago (2024-08-18)
Dedicated to Hindu God Hanuman
Website statueofunion.org

Statue of Union is a 90-foot (27 m) statue built in the likeness of the Hindu God Hanuman, that is located at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas, United States. [1] It is the fourth-tallest statue in the United States after the Birth of the New World, the Statue of Liberty and the Pegasus and Dragon . The statue is named Statue of Union because Lord Hanuman reunited Sri Rama with Maa Sita in the Hindu epic Ramayana. [2] The statue symbolises “selflessness, devotion, and unity.” [3]

Contents

Construction

The Statue of Union was envisioned by an Indian spiritual leader Chinna Jeeyar Swami, who also envisioned the Statue of Equality in Hyderabad, India. [4] . He called the statue a spiritual epicenter for North America. [5] The statue was designed by Chinna Jeeyar Swami in India. The parts were manufactured in China and then shipped to the United States and assembled at the temple. Sreenarasimhaiah, the temple's vice president, said that people of "all sorts of faiths" worked on the project locally. [6]

The statue is cast in bronze. It is 90 feet tall and weights 90 tons. It depicts Lord Hanuman in the upright position with both his palms facing forward. Its detailed craftsmanship includes his main weapon Gada with patterns around it. The base of the statue features detailed design of an elephant and flowers. [7]

The unveiling of the statue took place after a 3-day ceremony that happened between August 15 and 18, 2024. [4] It started on August 15, overlapping with India's Independence Day celebrations. The prana pratishtha took place at precisely 9:09 AM on August 18, 2024. [8] The ceremony featured flower showering from a helicopter, a sacred water sprinkling, and a 72-feet-long garland draped around Lord Hanuman’s neck. [9] The event was also accompanied by patriotic songs and the national anthems of India and the US, including Vande Mataram, Jana Gana Mana, and the Star-Spangled Banner. [8]

Reception

Following the installation of the statue, media reported remarks by some Christian conservatives, who described the statue as demonic. [10] [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "90-ft Hanuman Statue of Union unveiled in Texas, 3rd tallest in US". The Times of India. August 21, 2024. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ Desk, DC Web (August 20, 2024). "90-Foot Hanuman Statue Unveiled in Houston, Third Largest in U.S. The statue has a posture of Hanuman blessing with both hands, called Abhaya Hanuman". www.deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved August 21, 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. ↑ "Press Trust Of India". www.ptinews.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Prasad, Sheetal. "90-ft Lord Hanuman's 'Statue Of Union': Third Tallest in the US". News24. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  5. ↑ "90-Foot-Tall Bronze Hanuman 'Statue Of Union' Unveiled In Texas". Times Now. August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  6. ↑ Weber, Natalie. "Sugar Land-area Hindu temple now home to third largest statue in the U.S." Houston Public Media. University of Houston. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Grand 90-Foot-Tall Lord Hanuman Statue Unveiled In Houston; Check Pics". Odisha TV. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Historic Inauguration of the Statue of Union: A Grand Celebration in Sugar Land | Indo American News" . Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Texas gets tallest Hanuman statue outside India. What you need to know". Firstpost. August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  10. ↑ Writer, Aila Slisco (August 21, 2024). "Huge half-monkey half-human statue in Texas sparks conservative backlash". Newsweek. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Watch | Church group protests against 90-foot Lord Hanuman statue in US, calls it 'demon god'". WION. August 27, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
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