Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually unveiled the tallest Hanuman statue in the State at the Sri Seetharamaswamy temple at Punkunnam in Thrissur. The Prime Minister also unveiled 22-carat gold-covered sopanam at the temple. Mr. Modi addressed devotees virtually via a live link.
In his address, Prime Minister said: “Thrissur has long been considered the cultural capital of Kerala, a place where tradition, spirituality, festivals, and arts converge. The Sri Seetharamaswamy temple is a testament to this rich cultural heritage. Today, it gives me great pleasure to dedicate the golden sopanam to Lord Seetharam, Swami Ayyappan and Lord Shiva. As we celebrate this Kumbabishekam, we are reminded that where there is Sri Seetharam, there is also Hanuman, and the magnificent 55-ft Hanuman statue we unveil today will surely bless the devotees.”
The Hanuman statue, which is 35 ft tall, has a 20-ft tall base. Altogether it is 55 ft tall.
The statue, which has been carved from a single stone, was prepared at Nadhyal district of Andhra Pradesh. About 30 artisans led by sculptor V. Subrahmanyam Acharya made the statue in three months.
A laser show, showing important scenes from The Ramayana, will also be displayed. The Hanuman statue, along with the laser show, have been put together at a cost of around ₹2.5 crore, according to a press release from the organisers.
The gold covering of the sopanam has been done at a cost of ₹12 crore using 18 kg of gold by Kalyan Jewellers managing director T.S. Kalyana Raman.
