Before I go into the aesthetics, here’s a riddle to tickle the funnies….
What sort of a genie grants the wishes of photographers?
-20 if you say something outrageous like ‘The Genie of Light’.
-50 if you say ‘Genie-us genies.’
+100 if you say Photogenie-c.
hehe….
Disclaimer: This blogger is not responsible for cracked phone screens and cameras thrown out of the window.
hehe….
The town of Ekta Nagar is no novice to natural beauty. It is a place that represents a dream of unity in diversity and progress amidst harmony and I feel that the essence of this dream adds to the serenity of this town. Every aspect of the town has been highlighted to showcase the local grandeur and the Statue of Unity is simply the crowning glory.
In the previous blogs, I spoke about the Cactus Garden and some of the winged fauna of Ekta Nagar. In this blog, Imma show you some of the glimpses of the landmarks surrounding the Statue of Unity, in the last leg of our trail to the destination.
Without further ado, Let’s shutter those bugs!
hehehehehehe…..
Always judge a place by the nature of its dinosaurs.
-Yours Truly.
Ms Yours Truly is back again with her tidbits of wisdom. Phenomenal, I tell you, phenomenal.
hehe.
Ekta Nagar is a town on the banks of a huge Indian river called Narmada. Rivers are known to be the backbone of life on Earth and I think that our rivers have truly seen the world come up from a proteinaceous soup to a technological soup.
hehe.
So, back when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth, a little colony of dinos lived their lives in the town of Ekta Nagar, on the banks of the Narmada river. The dinos were called Rajasaurus Narmadensis, literally meaning King of Dinosaurs. This fact was discovered rather recently and in order to honour the Rajasaurus that roamed the tranquil plains of Ekta Nagar, the authorities built this Dino Park at the point where the Rajasaurus fossils were found. It is quite a solitary area, surrounded by hilly scrub and in the mids of it all, there’s this huge, apparently life sized statue of the Rajasaurus. Dinosaurs really fascinate me so I was really thrilled to visit the park. It’s a simple trail with boards giving a lot of info about the dinosaurs.
What’s better, the statue roars.
I was not aware of the fact when I visited the park and I was strolling, enjoying the little nuggets of dino knowledge when suddenly a roar echoed through the park and I froze, already believing that I’ve landed in some version of the Jurassic Park.
hehe.
Up next, we have something that is literally the fulfilled dream of Ekta Nagar, the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
So, when India got freedom, Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, the person who is honoured by the Statue of Unity, had a vision of a developed India. He always wanted to build a dam upon the river Narmada to provide irrigation and electricity for the people of the state of Gujarat. Building the dam was not an easy task but after a lot of hardship, compensation, interference and legal battles, the dam was finally completed in 2017 and it now stands proud and tall over the Narmada river.
The Statue of Unity faces the dam as it was Sardar Patel’s long dreamt vision. There’s many shows and camps in the premises of the dam and these are a few glimpses of the dam from different angles. The structure looks very grand and breathtaking, especially since it is a vision come true.
I also love how the natural beauty blends with the dam. The wildflowers add a nice aesthetic touch to the surroundings and I love a manmade and natural harmonisation:)
Animal statues have my heart, so when I saw this bear statue, I had to get a picture in every angle:)
This cute little bust is in a garden called Vishwa Van (transl. Forest of the World), which is right in front of the Statue of Unity. I love the representation of the Mama Bear and the baby bears and it reminds me of Disney movies. It could well be a scene from Brother Bear, even though that movie turns me into a crying mess.
Disney coded decor really makes my heart skip a beat.
hehe:)
Here’s another glimpse of the Vishwa Van, showing the emblem of the Make In India movement. The town of Ekta Nagar is a true example of Make In India. All these gardens, statues, parks and attractions are made by the locals and even the digital aspects such as booking sites and websites are all made by Indians. The transport and hospitality is also totally local driven and I think this sort of empowerment is exactly what fuels movements that promote nationalistic pride.
As an Indian, I feel so proud when I see the Statue of Unity and its premises because there was a time when India shied away from the spotlight but now, we are making our own limelight, on our own terms and setting an example for the world to follow, be it in the terms of sustainability or environment mindfulness or inclusive progress and that is truly empowering.
Finally, here’s a few glimpses of the natural flora in Ekta Nagar. The third picture is a mini conifer garden, while the first two pictures are different assortments of flowers. Now, I am allergic to pollen but Ekta Nagar’s aesthetic horticulture had me bounding through flower fields and running through green meadows to get pictures and have the memory imprinted in my head.
hehe.
And that is a wrap.
In the next blog, we shall be scaling and getting awed by the Statue of Unity itself!
Until Next Time,
Cheerio:)