Whenever I blog about a philosophical topic, such as unity, I do what every intellectual does, which is to scour Google for quotes. So, when I googled quotes about unity, there was one batch which had. people like MLK, Mother Teresa etc, firing words on how unity is the beacon of love and then, there’s a batch of quotes which simply says, “Unity starts with “U””.
hehe.
Taking the middle ground, I will say that unity and diversity are two sides of the same coin and when we have a unity in diversity, we have prosperity and that is how one moves forward.
In the previous blogs, I spoke about the various attractions and activities that one can do in the town of Ekta Nagar. In this blog, Imma take you 182 metres above it all, to look into the eyes of the world’s tallest statue, The Statue of Unity.
Before I begin, I will give a wee bit of a historical background. The Statue of Unity is the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the chief pioneer of uniting India with all its cultural diversity, amidst a time of severe turmoil. While the statue celebrates unity, it also celebrates Sardar Patel’s vision of a developed and empowered nation. The statue faces a dam called the Sardar Sarovar Dam, which provides electricity and water for irrigation to the state of Gujarat. The dam was one of Sardar Patel’s dreams that found its way into reality, years after his time and I think it is a lovely tribute to have the statue facing the dam.
Awright, so, with that background in mind, let’s get the tour united!
hehe….
There are some monuments which have the innate ability to take your breath away. The Statue of Unity is one of them. This picture is my first glimpse of the statue, taken at seven in the morning with the sun just risen and the world waking up to a mellow morning and a cool breeze. We had the full compound to ourselves, with no crowds, no photobombing, no noise and no hassles.
Just standing there, in the presence of the world’s tallest statue, gave me a sense of pride like never before. India has always had a tendency to be overly humble. There was a time when India was always considered not good enough, when compared to other countries in the world and that mindset made it hard for Indians to feel proud of themselves. But when I look at things like this statue, or the town of Ekta Nagar as a whole, I feel that we as a country have come so far and we are on the fast track to being a developed nation and that calls for immense nationalistic pride. The whole idea of unity in diversity is not just an idea, it is the reality of India and it is really something that should make us hold our heads up high.
The Statue of Unity has a very realistic touch to it. It is also built to surprise tourists, in a sense that when one enters Ekta Nagar, it is totally out of sight and one keeps searching for a glimpse of the mammoth statue. But when you get on a bus to go for your day’s itinerary, you look out of the window, and there it is, silhouetted against a misty sky.
Looking at it from a distance, one feels that it is a real person who is just about to take a step off its pedestal.
hehe.
I wonder if statues follow the Toy Story logic. I swear, if I see the Statue of Unity walking around Ekta Nagar, Imma become a statue myself.
hehe:)
Have you ever looked at a statue and just marvelled at the engineering? I mean, look at the clothing of the statue, it’s got the realistic touch of fluttering in the wind. I wonder how sculptors manage to achieve translucency in materials like bronze and iron. It really makes me bow to a sculptor’s ability.
The Statue of Unity has a tour which allows tourists to climb the statue at its chest level and see the world from that height. One can also climb to the pedestal and stand at the foot of the statue. This is a wall at the entrance of the statue compound, which talks about the Statue of Unity and its construction.
This is the passage leading to the foot of the statue. I love how the tents feel like a sort of a red carpet. It also reiterates my theory of statues coming alive when no one’s looking.
hehe….
The pedestal of the Statue of Unity houses a gallery with many experience centres, showcasing the statue’s origins, its construction and India’s diversity in various aspects. The picture shows the experience centre for India’s wildlife, especially the species which are found in and around Ekta Nagar.
Here’s a closeup of the face of the statue. It’s an exact replica that showcases the amount of detailing that has gone into making the sculpture, right from the creases and dimples to the glint in the eye.
This is the view of the dam and its surroundings, as seen from the heart of the statue. There is a sort of an observatory built here and one can see the inner foundation of the statue as well.
It is absolutely daunting to be up here, looking down at the world. It is not possible to stay in the observatory for long because the height really gets to you and one does feel a bit dizzy. The lift that takes you to the top literally feels like a climb and one can’t help but marvel at the people who built this.
Here’s a view of the foundations of the statue. It is an iron statue, mixed with ceramic and most of the materials are locally sourced. This statue is not only magnificent from the outside but really strong from the inside, which makes for a very well rounded personality.
Hehe….
Here is the statue, towering over us wee humans. There is an escalator that takes people at the foot of the statue and to prevent vertigo, the sides of the escalator are completely covered. Looking up at the statue from its foot, one can’t help but….look back down again.
hehe.
I mean, you might think you’re tall, at least I think I am, but look at where I stand when it comes to the beacon of unity.
I mean, I am not that far off….I am taller than the soles of his sandals….
Said every ant that glimpsed a human.
hehe….
Now, to finish off our tour of unity, Imma show you the “NIGHT VIEWS”.
The Statue has a laser show depicting the life of Sardar Patel. It is a beautiful show and I truly recommend every visitor to stay for the show.
The sun setting upon the statue.
Here is the statue, all glammed up in rose gold lights, entering the night in style:)
Finally, here is a glimpse of the laser show, illuminating the statue. This is how Sardar Patel looked in real life and they project that image upon the statue to give it a very realistic vibe. I also love the hills in the background. I feel it adds to the towering magnificence of the statue and gives a strong foundation to ground the pedestal.
Remember, being grounded is the foundation to soar to new heights.
– Yours Truly.
And here’s Ms Yours Truly, wrapping up in style.
hehe….
And that is a wrap,
Until Next Time,
Au Revoir:)