On February 5th, 2022 the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurated the ‘Statue of Equality of Sri Ramanujacarya as part of the 12-day ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of the saint.

The 216-foot tall statue is among the tallest metallic sitting statues in the world. It is located in a 45-acre complex on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The foundation stone was laid in 2014. The project cost Rs 1,000 crores and was funded fully by donations from devotees all over the world.

The statue consists of five metals or “panchaloha” consisting of gold, silver, zinc, brass, and copper. It has been constructed on a base-building “Bhadra Vedi” that is 54 ft tall. The building has floors for a Vedic digital library and research center, ancient Indian texts, a theater, and an educational gallery detailing the works of Ramanujacharya. The base will have a meditation hall where a small, 120 kg gold statue of the saint will represent the years he lived.

The Statue of Equality was conceptualized by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram. There are 108 Divya Desams (ornately carved temples) surrounding the Statue of Equality.

The Prime Minister took a tour of the Divya Desams as well before the inauguration.