The Statue of Unity was erected as a tribute to India’s Iron Man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country’s first home minister since independence. He was in charge of bringing all 562 princely states of India together to form India’s Republic.
The Statue of Unity – the world’s tallest statue – was unveiled on October 31, 2018, against the Satpura and Vindhyachal hills’ spectacular background in Kevadia, Gujarat. The 182-meter (600-foot) statue honors Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the founder of independent India. The monumental monument looms over the Narmada River, a salute to India ‘from the people of Gujarat’ to the chief who prioritized the people’s health.
The Statue of Unity overlooks the vast surroundings and the Narmada River’s river basin, as well as the sprawling Sardar Sarovar dam. It is located on the Sadhu Bet hillock, linked to the mainland by a 300-meter bridge.
The state government fully financed the Rs 3,050-crore scheme, which spans 20,000 square meters and is surrounded by a 12-square-kilometre artificial lake.
10 fascinating facts about Sardar Patel’s Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world
1. When plinths are excluded, the Statue of Unity is nearly four times taller than New York’s iconic Statue of Liberty.
2. The monument cost about $430 million (29.9 billion rupees) to build.
3. The staggering size and weight of the project’s materials reflect its scale: the statue’s construction required 2,500,000 cubic feet of concrete, 5,700 tons of steel frame, and 18,500 tons of reinforced steel rods.
4. The building is covered in approximately 12,000 bronze panels weighing about 1,700 tons.
5. Visitors can climb 500 feet to the observation gallery situated above the statue’s chest.
6. According to reports, the Gujarat government displaced 185 families to make room for the statue, compensating them with 1,200 acres (475 hectares) of new land.
7. The statue was built by Padma Bhushan recipient sculptor Ram V Sutar, and construction began on October 31, 2014.
8. The Statue of Unity’s original bronze color will fade to green in 100 years due to normal aging.
9. The monument will survive earthquakes and wind speeds of up to 100 km/h.
10. The Statue of Unity has a gallery, a 3-star hotel center, a food court, a memorial park, and a grand museum.
Tourist Attractions around Statue of Unity
Laser Light and Sound Show:
Every evening except Monday, a laser light and sound show is projected on the Statue of Unity. The vibrant laser lighting system is followed by an excellent narration of Sardar Patel’s history and life and his contributions to the Independence Movement and India’s unification as one country.
Also Read, Unity: Why is it so Important!
Tour of the Valley of Flowers:
The Valley of Flowers (also known as Bharat Van) is a sanctuary for colorful flowering plants along the Narmada River’s bank. The Valley of Flower started with 48,000 plants in 2016 and has grown to include over 220,000 plants. Aside from the parks, many photo booths and selfie spots have been created to help visitors remember their experiences fondly. The location represents a rainbow of flowers arranged on earth.
This garden contains over 300 different varieties of flowers. The green cover in this area is formed by a proper mix of ornamental flowers, trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers, and creepers, as well as varying shades of vegetation.
Nauka Vihar:
The Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation Ltd. (GSFDC) has launched a boat trip in Dyke-3, also known as Panchmuli Lake, in Kevadia of an eco-tourism initiative. A boating facility was created with the assistance of a third-party expert. Tourists visiting Kevadia can also appreciate the pristine nature by taking this boat trip. The total time of each trip is 45 minutes, and the company operates eight rides a day.
This journey will lead you to the waters of Dyke-4, which is surrounded by lush green woods. The ecosystem of the lake is very diverse in terms of flora and fauna. This Boating facility has become a renowned tourist destination. Panchmuli Lake is unquestionably worth a visit with family or friends. What distinguishes this is its setting in the middle of a tree grove. So have a good time and enjoy your time on the river at Panchmuli Lake!
Cactus Garden:
The Cactus Garden is a one-of-a-kind botanical garden at the Statue of Unity site designed to showcase a wide range of Cacti and succulents real adaptation wonders. The idea behind creating the cactus garden is to have an experience of the desert biome in the middle of a landmass surrounded by water. There are 6 lakh plants of 450 species spread over 25 acres of open ground and 836 square meter dome.
Ekta Nursery:
Ekta Nursery is being grown near the Statue of Unity following the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision that tourists return with seedlings as a plant of unity. Out of the one million plants targeted, 0.3 million are ready to market,’ and the remaining 0.7 million are expected to be ready shortly.
Children Nutrition Park:
Children Nutrition Park is a one-of-a-kind theme park conceived and inspired by India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, and built as part of the Kevadia Integrated Growth. It offers high-quality content and important information to children about safe eating habits and nutritional ideals based on the theme “SAHI POSHAN DESH ROSHAN.”
The entire park is planned and introduced for the children’s enjoyment, and ample use of cutting-edge technologies is made to provide an engaging environment for the children who visit the park.
Dino Trail:
Recent explorations in the Narmada valley have shown that Rajasaurus Narmadensis, an endemic genus of dinosaurs, existed during the Cretaceous era [also known as the ‘K-period’]. The K-stage occurred between the Jurassic Period (145 million years ago) and the Paleogene Period (145 million years ago) (66 million years ago).
For the tourists, a model of the endemic dinosaur with the distinctive horn is produced and displayed. The replica is about three times the approximate original scale, measuring 75 feet long and 25 feet tall. This gives tourists an insight into the history of the earth and humanity and an attempt to raise public consciousness about the area’s abundance of ancient flora and fauna.
Jungle Safari:
A state-of-the-art zoological park with a rare array of indigenous and exotic animals and birds from the world’s numerous biogeographic regions, situated in the picturesque hills near the world’s tallest statue, “The Statue of Unity” and “The Sardar Sarovar Dam” at Kevadia. This zoo will lead you on a thrilling and adventurous journey of watching birds, loving the hills’ scenic scenery, and having once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Viswa Van:
Viswa Van is a Global Forest of natural aesthetic appeal. Vishwa Van (a Global Forest) is home to herbs, shrubs, and trees native to all seven continents, reflecting the overarching theme of ‘Unity of Bio-diversity’ in a global sense. In the light of all life forms on the earth, Vishwa Van represents the life-sustaining potion of forests. Vishwa Van has a rich assemblage of flora from every continent on the planet. The flora is arranged to imitate the natural forest of a specific zone.
Best time to visit:
The Statue of Unity is best visited during the cooler months of October to February. However, the place is open all year. From Tuesday to Sunday, the Statue of Unity is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Laser Light and Sound Show is open every day from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, except on Mondays. Mondays are cleaning days at the Statue of Unity.
Shopping (Everyone’s Favorite)
Ekta Mall: The name Ekta Mall represents the harmony of diversity, a trademark of Indian culture. Handlooms, handicrafts, and traditional textile showrooms from different Indian states have opened at Ekta Mall to promote Indian handicrafts in a location that stands for unity and national integration. The mall covers an area of 35,000 square feet.
It is a one-stop shop for a soothing shopping experience rooted in the vitality and diversity of traditional textiles and artisanal handicrafts from India. Twenty emporiums have been commissioned, each representing a different state of India, and are housed in a two-story hotel. It is the ideal medium for retailing handicrafts and handlooms, which are critical to rural jobs and our country’s artisanal clusters’ social growth.
SOU Souvenir Shop: Visitors can bring back memories of their visit by purchasing souvenirs such as hats, t-shirts, Statue of Unity replicas, pens, key chains, and notebooks. Souvenir Shop is situated near the Statue of Unity and also at many other locations in Kevadia.
About The Iron Man of India
Vallabhbhai Patel, full name Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, named Sardar Patel, was an Indian barrister and statesman who was a leader of the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence war. He served as vice prime minister, minister of home affairs, minister of information, and minister of states during the first three years of Indian independence after 1947.
The most valuable person to unite the nation
Birth October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat – died December 15, 1950, in Bombay.
