''Statue of Union'' is a 90-foot (27 m)

statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or Casting (metalworking), cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to ...

built in the likeness of the

Hindu God Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Deities in Hinduism are as diverse as its traditions, and a Hindu can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, even agnostic, atheistic, or humanist. Julius J. L ...

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

, that is located at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in

Sugar Land, Texas Sugar Land (sometimes incorrectly spelled as Sugarland) is the largest city in Fort Bend County, Texas, United States, located in the southwestern part of the metropolitan area. Located about southwest of downtown Houston, Sugar Land is a po ...

, United States. It is the fourth-tallest statue in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

after the ''

Birth of the New World The ''Birth of the New World'' (, colloquially known as ''La Estatua de Colón'', ''Columbus' Statue'') is a bronze sculpture located on the Atlantic coastline of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. When completed in 2016, it became the tallest sculpture ...

,'' the

Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; ) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, within New York City. The copper-clad statue, a gift to the United States from the people of French Thir ...

and the '' Pegasus and Dragon''. The statue is named ''Statue of Union'' because Lord Hanuman reunited

Sri Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda'' ...

with Maa Sita in the

Hindu epic Mahākāvya (lit. great kāvya, court epic), also known as ''sargabandha'', is a genre of Indian epic poetry in Classical Sanskrit. The genre is characterised by ornate and elaborate descriptions of phenomena such as scenery, love, and battles. Ty ...

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

. The statue symbolises “selflessness, devotion, and unity.”

Construction

The ''Statue of Union'' was envisioned by an Indian

spiritual leader Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

Chinna Jeeyar Chinna Jeeyar (born 3 November 1956), more formally known as Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swami, is a Thenkalai Sri Vaishnavism, Sri Vaishnava Indian religious guru and yogi ascetic known for his spiritual discourses and t ...

Swami. He called the statue a spiritual epicenter for

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. He also envisioned the Statue of Equality in

Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. The statue is cast in

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...

. 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. The unveiling of the statue took place after a 3-day ceremony that happened between August 15 and 18, 2024. It started on August 15, overlapping with India's Independence Day celebrations. The

prana pratishtha ''Prana pratishtha'' () is the rite or ceremony by which a ''murti'' (devotional image of a deity) is consecrated in a Hindu temple. The Sanskrit terms ''prana'' means "life" and ''pratishtha'' means "to be established." Following detailed step ...

took place at precisely 9:09 AM on August 18, 2024. The ceremony featured flower showering from a helicopter, a sacred water sprinkling, and a 72-feet-long

garland A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times ...

draped around Lord Hanuman’s neck. The event was also accompanied by patriotic songs and the national anthems of India and the US, including

Vande Mataram Vande Mātaram (Bengali language, Original Bengali: বন্দে মাতরম্‌ ''Bônde Mātôrôm'' Devanagari script: वंदे मातरम्; , Transcreation: I Bow to Thee, Mother) is a poem that was adopted as the nati ...

Jana Gana Mana "" is the national anthem of the Republic of India. It was originally composed as " Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata" in Bengali by polymath and activist Rabindranath Tagore on 11 December 1911. The first stanza of the song " Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata" ...

, and the

Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written by American lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, after he witnessed the bombardment of For ...

Religious Contentions

Following the installation of the statue, media reported remarks by some, who described the statue as demonic. (Traditional thought in Christian Orthodoxy teaches that pagan gods are antithetical to the Christian God)

References

External links

Official website
{{Portal bar, Texas, Hinduism, Visual arts Colossal statues in the United States Concrete sculptures in Texas Monuments and memorials in Texas 2024 sculptures Buildings and structures in Texas Tourist attractions in Texas Outdoor sculptures in Texas 2024 establishments in Texas Statues in Texas Hinduism in Texas

Construction

Religious Contentions

See also

References

External links