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90-feet Hanuman Statue unveiled in Texas
The statue is named after Lord Hanuman, who played a major role in the union of Lord Ram and Sita in the Epic Ramayana.
Abhaya Hanuman Statue of Union. / Courtesy Arun Mundhra
A statue of Hindu deity Lord Hanuman was consecrated at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas on Aug. 18. At 90-feet tall the statue is the third largest statue of any type in North America, as well as the largest statue in Texas.
Chinna Jeeyaar Swami, an Indian spiritual leader who also inspired the Statue of Equality in Hyderabad, India, envisioned the Abhaya Hanuman Statue of Union as a symbol of unity and strength.
The Swami unveiled the massive statue in the presence of the Consulate General of India in Houston, DC Manjunath and several other local and county officials like County Judge KP George, Ken Mathew, Marquette Greene-Scott, Charlene Johnson, Andy Meyers, Bill Rickert, Chad Bridges, and a large crowd of devotees.
The unveiling and consecration ceremony lasted for three days from Aug. 15-18. On Day 1, rituals like Ankurarpanam and Agniprastha/Havan were carried out. The second day pujas like Vaasthu Shanti (to remove any obstacles or harmful elements from the surroundings), Jalaadhivasam (performed with sanctified water and milk to remove any imperfections in the idol) and Varalakshmi Puja (performed to Goddess Lakshmi by all devotees) were held.
On the final day, Karmanga Snapanam a special offering to Hanuman, was made with soil from various places. Swami Chinna Jeeyar and Swamy Mukundanand, along with few other priests, offered sandalwood to the idol collected from all local temples while being lifted by a crane.
The idol was garlanded with a 90-ft garland while a helicopter showered flowers over it amid auspicious tunes and chants by devotees. The festivities concluded with an electronic show that depicted the story of how Hanuman came to be regarded as a symbol of the union of Ram and Sita in the Ramayana.
Swami Chinna Jeeyar expressed his gratitude to the devotees for bringing his vision to life, thanked everyone, and emphasized the importance of Sanatan dharma, including the need to protect Matra Bhoomi (the homeland).
The global outreach for the initiative was created by Arun Mundra, Mein BHARAT Hoon International Coordinator, and NRI Global Coordinator, along with Heemanshu Maheshwari.
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