The construction work of the Adi Guru Shankaracharya statue in Omkareshwar is progressing rapidly in anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expected visit to Khandwa city in Madhya Pradesh on 18 September. The inauguration of the 108-foot-tall statue also known as the “Statue of Oneness,” and the foundation stone laying for the Adwait Lok (a cultural centre) will be conducted by the Prime Minister. Ninety percent of the work on the Statue of Oneness has already been completed. The head and body of the statue were assembled on Friday and the final assembly was undertaken yesterday. Adi Guru Shankaracharya’s statue is made of 88 tons of copper, 4 tons of zinc, and 8 tons of bronze, ensuring its durability for centuries without any damage. It will be given a protective coat that will have to be reapplied every 20 years.
Between 15 and 20 from September, over 5,000 saints and leaders from various parts of the country, including the four Shankaracharyas and heads of various akharas, will gather at the Omkareshwar pilgrimage site. They will perform Vedic rituals and ceremonies in honour of the statue’s installation on the Omkareshwar mountain. The Central and State Governments have jointly invited Shankaracharyas, akhara chiefs, and renowned storytellers to the event. On 18 September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Omkareshwar. Chitrakoot’s Jagatguru Ram Bhadracharya Maharaj, who provided evidence of Lord Ram’s birth based on the Atharva Veda in the Supreme Court during the Ayodhya case, will also attend, along with the head of the Tulsi Peeth, Ram Bhadracharya Ji.