'World's' tallest' Shiva statue to be inaugurated on Saturday in Rajasthan's Rajsamand
Jaipur, Oct 28: The 369-foot-tall Shiva statue 'Viswas Swaroopam' installed in Nathdwara town of Rajasthan's Rajsamand district will be inaugurated on Saturday.
Claimed to be the tallest Shiva statue in the world, it will be opened to the public scriptures preacher Morari Bapu in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, assembly speaker CP Joshi, and others.
The statue, which is situated 45 kms from Udaipur, has been constructed by Tat Padam Sansthan.
The Sansthan trustee and Miraj group chairman Madan Paliwal said that a series of religious, spiritual, and cultural events will be held for nine days from October 29 to November 6 after the inauguration of the statue.
Religion preacher Morari Bapu will also recite Ram Katha during the nine days.
"This wonderful statue of Lord Shiva installed in the city of Shreenathji will give a new dimension to religious tourism," Paliwal said.
Installed on a hilltop over an expanse of 51 bighas, the statue is styled in a posture of meditation, and is said to be visible from 20 kilometers away.
The statue is also clearly visible at night as it has been illuminated with special lights, Jaiprakash Mali, spokesperson for the programme said.
"This is the world's tallest Shiva idol in which lifts, stairs, and a hall for devotees have been built. There are four lifts and three stairs to go inside," he said.
Three thousand tonnes of steel and iron, 2.5 lakh cubic tonnes of concrete and sand have been used in its construction, which took 10 years to complete.
The foundation of the project was laid in August 2012 in the presence of Ashok Gehlot, who was the CM even then, and Morari Bapu.
Mali said that the statue has been constructed to last 250 years and can withstand wind speed up to 250 kmph.
"Wind tunnel test of the design of this statue has been done in Australia," he added.
The venue around the statue will host activities like bungee jumping, zip line, and Go-Kart, and will house a food court, adventure park, and a jungle cafe for the tourists to enjoy their day, he added.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
