Bengaluru: The Ram temple is now on course in Ayodhya. The Uttar Pradesh government is also set to build the “world’s tallest statue” of Lord Ram in the temple town. But it isn’t just Lord Ram Indians are trying to please. A newly-formed trust in Karnataka is planning to build a statue of Lord Hanuman in Hampi — 6 metres shorter than the Ram statue.
The Hampi-based Hanumad Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, a private trust, is planning to build the statue at a height of 215 m and an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore in Kishkindha, the birthplace of Hanuman, over the next six years.
“Lord Rama’s statue will be 221 m tall. Hanuman, his ‘eternal’ devotee cannot be higher than his master, so the statue will be made 6 m shorter than that of Lord Ram,” said Govindananda Saraswathi Swamy, the seer who heads the trust.
According to popular belief, Ramayana’s Kishkindha, the kingdom of Vanara king Sugriva, can be mapped near Hampi. The kingdom was part of the Dandaka forest, which stretched from the Vindhyas down to southern India.
Kishkindha is believed to be located on the outskirts of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“As of now, the only deity of Hanuman is atop the Anjanadri Hill (near Hampi), which requires devotees to climb 550 steps to reach the temple. We want to make it magnificent and accessible to all. A place that will reflect our rich heritage,” said Swamy.
According to Karnataka government sources, the state will partly fund the project while the trust will gather the rest through donations, and build the statue. The trust is planning a Hanuman chariot yatra across the country to raise the funds.
A proposal for the project was shared with the government in February. It is the works currently, said the sources.
Karnataka Culture Minister C.T. Ravi said the government is considering the proposal and has sought a comprehensive report.
“We will certainly connect Kishkindha with the Ramayana circuit and make it a memorable experience for all, religious or otherwise,” Ravi told ThePrint. He was referring to the circuit the Narendra Modi government is planning to build to connect the Ramayana sites across the country.
Ravi added that there are three places in Karnataka believed to have a direct connection with Ramayana, including Kishkindha. The other two are Mahabaleshwar temple in Gokarna, and the Chandra Drona Parvatha range in Chikkamagaluru.
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The Ram connection
The Hanumad Janmabhoomi Theertha Kshetra Trust registered itself on 5 February, the same day as the formation of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, which is a government-nominated body entrusted with building the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Hanuman trust sent deities weighing 140 kg, made of Panchadhaatu (five metals), as offering to the Ram temple, on behalf of Kishkindha, in Wednesday’s ground-breaking ceremony in Ayodhya.
“This is Lord Hanuman’s offering to his lord,” said Swamy, who believes the Hampi statue will complete the spiritual connection between Ram and Hanuman.
This will not be the only connection of Hampi with Ayodhya. “The stones from Anjanadri Hill will be used in the construction of the (Ram) temple,” Ballari MLA Somashekar Reddy told ThePrint over phone.
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Hanuman yatra
The Hanuman trust is also planning to take out a Hanumantha Yatra on a specially designed chariot across India to build awareness about Kishkindha and raise funds.
A special chariot for the yatra is being built at the cost of Rs 45 lakh. Over three years, the trust plans to cover the entire country and appeal to devotees to contribute for the statue and other expenses.
“The Ratha yatra will terminate at Ayodhya,” said Swamy.
Other issues
The trust has approached the Karnataka government to grant them 10 acres of land for this project.
Swamy said there are other challenges too before they begin building the statue. These include assessment of wind direction and environmental clearances as the location is close to the UN heritage site.
“We may face hurdles, but we know that both Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman will show us the way. On Vijayadashami this year we plan to install the deities of Rama, Sita and Hanuman,” he said.
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