A 90-foot-tall bronze murti of Lord Hanuman, unveiled near Houston, symbolising "a new milestone in the cultural and spiritual landscape of America," has become the latest landmark in Texas visible from miles away, and the third tallest sculpture in the US.
The Statue of Union, as it has been named, is one of the tallest statues in the world and holds several other distinctions: it is the tallest Hanuman murti outside India, the tallest in Texas, and the third tallest statue in the United States, surpassed only by the Statue of Liberty in New York (151 feet) and the Pegasus and Dragon in Hallandale Beach, Florida (110 feet), the organisers said.
The 'Statue of Union' Hanuman murti, which was unveiled at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, about 35-odd km from here, during a grand Prana Prathishta Mahotsavam ceremony from August 15 to 18, symbolises "selflessness, devotion, and unity," the organisers said, adding, the murti is named so to "honour Hanuman's pivotal role in reuniting Lord Ram and Sita."
"This awe-inspiring structure is the result of the visionary efforts of His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, a Padma Bhushan awardee, and a renowned Vedic scholar, who envisioned the project as a spiritual epicentre for North America," the organiser said in a statement.
The festivities commenced on August 15, coinciding with India's Independence Day and the core of the celebrations unfolded on August 18, with the grand Pran Prathistha ceremony. "The rituals, led by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji and overseen by a multitude of Vedic priests and scholars, were a powerful display of devotion and spirituality," the statement said.
The ceremony featured a helicopter showering flowers upon the murti, sprinkling of sacred water, and placing of a 72-foot-long garland around Hanuman's neck amid thousands of devotees chanting the names of Shri Ram and Hanuman in unison.
The statue stands tall not only as a symbol of Hanuman's indomitable spirit but also as a new milestone in the cultural and spiritual landscape of America, embodying the principles of devotion, strength, and unity for all who come to witness its grandeur, the organisers added.
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