Madhya Pradesh government unveils 108-feet statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Omkareshwar

Tags: State News

On September 18, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled a massive 108-feet-tall statue of eighth-century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya in Mandhata town (also known as Omkareshwar) in Khandwa district, about 80 km from Indore.

An Overview of the News

• This event has been named 'Ekatmata Ki Pratima' or 'Statue of Oneness'.

• This statue is located on Mandhata mountain near the holy Omkareshwar temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

Tribute to Adi Shankaracharya:

• The statue is a tribute to Adi Shankaracharya, an eminent philosopher who visited Omkareshwar at the age of 12 to attain enlightenment on Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

• Adi Shankaracharya spent four years in Omkareshwar studying this philosophy before embarking on a journey to preach Advaita Vedanta across the country.

Chief Minister's Vision:

• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan mooted the idea of this statue during his visit to Omkareshwar in January 2017.

Sculpture:

• The statue depicts Adi Shankaracharya at the age of 12, the age at which he visited Omkareshwar.

• No photographs or paintings of him existed at the time, so a painter was chosen to create an image based on various ancient literary sources.

• Then the statue was conceptualized and constructed on the basis of this painting.

Development Plans:

• The state government has ambitious plans to develop Omkareshwar as a cultural and spiritual heritage site.

• They are planning to establish 'Advaita Lok', a museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing the philosophical traditions of Advaita Vedanta.

• Additionally, an 'Advaita Van' spread over 36 hectares is being created at Omkareshwar to preserve the natural beauty and sustainability of the area.