After spending Diwali with the jawans at Nowshera, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now arrived in Kedarnath to unveil the 12 feet statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath Dham.
The Prime Minister arrived at Dehradun early on Friday morning, where he was received by Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
PM Shri @narendramodi arrives at Kedarnath, to offer prayers at the shrine and also inaugurate Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi shortly. pic.twitter.com/4IPR92RDt8
— BJP (@BJP4India) November 5, 2021
PM Modi is first offered prayers at the temple, performed aarti before proceeding to inaugurate the reconstructed samadhi of Guru Shankaracharya and lay the foundation of infrastructure projects worth 450 crores at and around the shrine.
#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs ‘aarti’ at Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/V6Xx7VzjY4
— ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021
PM Modi unveiled the statue of Adi Shankara near the temple shrine. The samadhi of Adi Shankara has been rebuit after it was damaged in the 2013 floods in Uttarakhand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils the statue of Shri Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/7yX0Ft7fOO
— ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021
Awaiting PM Modi’s visit to one of the shrines of the Chardham, Bagish Ling, a priest of Kedarnath Temple, while speaking with ANI said, “We will all welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi will reach here in the morning. He will do the Maha Rudra Abhishek and pray for the welfare of the nation. He will also unveil the statue of Adi Shankaracharya. The temple has been decorated with flowers.”
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday took to Twitter to share an update on the program. “The Samadhi site of Adi Guru Shankaracharya has been completed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate it tomorrow. Along with this, Saraswati Ghat, the residence of the pilgrimage priests, has also been ready, which will be dedicated tomorrow. PM will reach here at 6:30 am,” the CM said in a video.
2013 में आई आपदा के कारण नष्ट हुए स्थानों का भव्य पुनर्निर्माण कार्य लगभग पूर्ण हो चुका है। कल माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के कर कमलों से श्री आदि शंकराचार्य जी की समाधि एवं प्रतिमा के साथ-साथ 400 करोड़ से अधिक की योजनाओं का लोकार्पण होने वाला है। pic.twitter.com/Uo8B5wImnR
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 4, 2021
About the statue
The statue measuring 12 feet and weighing 28 tonnes, is carved out of a single rock and is significant for the people of Mysuru.
The magnificent statue has been built by Arun Yogiraj, a fifth-generation sculptor and an MBA graduate who used to work with a private firm. However, he had quit his job to take up his family tradition.
Talking about his experience sculpting that statue of Adi Shankaracharya for the Kedarnath Shrine, Arun said, “I was given a 3D model photograph, but I was not happy. I did my own model, a 2-ft prototype which was sent to PM Modi, as did many other sculptors. My model was selected.”
The redeveloped Samadhi of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya will be dedicated to the nation by PM @narendramodi on Nov 5 when he visits Shri Kedarnath Dham for darshans.
— Rahul Kaushik (@kaushkrahul) October 16, 2021
The 12 feet statue of Adi Shankara was scuplted in Mysuru & airlifted to Kedarnath by a Chinook Helicopter. pic.twitter.com/9GMpvdw2o7
“We got Krishna Shile from HD Kote (town in Mysuru district). This rock can withstand rain, sun, fire, air and harsh climate. I didn’t take a single day off. I was told to make a 360-degree view, which was most challenging. He is a sanyasi, with no hair on his head and wearing a kaavi. I had to make his face look divine, and even sent all my helpers out for a few days as I wanted to focus on it,” narrated Arun further.
Yogiraj’s family has made many statues for the Mysuru Wadiyar family and the city of Mysuru. The project was taken up by Jindal Steel Works who then approached Arun and his father.
In a tragic loss for Arun, his father passed away just two weeks ago and he will not be attending the inauguration program.
“It is what many sculptors dream about, and PM Modi himself is unveiling it,” remarked Arun.
The statue was airlifted to Kedarnath Dham in a Chinook, traveling a distance of more than 2000 kilometers.
