Last week, a marble statue of Swami Ramanujacharya was unveiled in Srinagar. The structure, called the ‘Statue of Peace’, was inaugurated virtually by Home Minister Amit Shah. Here’s what we know. By Anushka Goel
On Thursday, July 7, Home Minister Amit Shah virtually inaugurated a four-foot-tall Statue of Peace, a marble structure of Swami Ramanujacharya, in Sonwar, Srinagar. Swami Ramanujacharya is known to have promoted the ideas of equality in all aspects of living, and spreading the message of the 11th Century Bhakti saints.
Statue of Peace promotes peace
श्रीनगर के शुरयार मंदिर में श्री यदुगिरी यतिराज मठ द्वारा स्थापित ‘स्टैच्यू ऑफ पीस’ स्वामी रामानुजाचार्य जी की प्रतिमा का वीडियो कॉन्फ्रेंसिंग के माध्यम से अनावरण किया।
कश्मीर में स्थापित रामानुजाचार्य जी की ये प्रतिमा न केवल कश्मीर बल्कि पूरे भारत में शांति का संदेश देगी। pic.twitter.com/JR529ZaKKp
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 7, 2022
While unveiling the statue, the Home Minister said, “This [statue] will be a message of peace in not only Kashmir, but the whole country,” reports Hindustan Times. He added that by next year, Gujarat will also be getting a Ramanujacharya statue to spread the message of peace and equality for all.
However, this is not the first statue of the saint that has been erected in the country. Back in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a similar statue of the saint, standing at 216 feet tall, in Hyderabad.
Saint Ramanujacharya, also known as Ramanuja, was born in Tamil Nadu‘s Sreperumbudur. The thinker, philosopher, and social reformer was a South Indian Brahmin, who revolted against untouchability and played a major role in bringing about a change in society. A follower of Vaishnavism, he taught people the principles of salvation. He also wrote a number of books, and has a number of temples associated with his tradition, including the Srirangam Ranganatha temple in Tamil Nadu. The Statue of Peace is another addition to his great history and reiterates the message of peace and equality that he set out to spread.
Hero and Featured Image: Representative Image; Courtesy of Shutterstock
Related: 216-Feet Tall Statue Of Equality To Be Inaugurated In Hyderabad Tomorrow
