Statue of Equality: Nearly 2,700 sculptors worked at the site

Hyderabad: Apart from the towering 216 feet tall statue of Sri Ramanuja, everything about the 108 Divya Deshas, the pillars and other structures around the statue is magnificent. Over four lakh cubic feet of pink sandstone from Rajasthan was used for constructing the entry arches, ticket counters and other structures, nearly five lakh cubic feet […]

Hyderabad: Apart from the towering 216 feet tall statue of Sri Ramanuja, everything about the 108 Divya Deshas, the pillars and other structures around the statue is magnificent.

Over four lakh cubic feet of pink sandstone from Rajasthan was used for constructing the entry arches, ticket counters and other structures, nearly five lakh cubic feet of black pearl granite (Krishna Shila) from Kotappakonda and other places was used for constructing 108 Divya Deshas. About 75,000 cubic feet of black marble from Rajasthan was used for 468 pillars.

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At peak stage of construction, nearly 2,700 sculptors worked at the site. Specialist sculptors from Mount Abu, who master in sandstone sculpture worked here and about 1,200 such sculptors were brought here. This apart, sculptors from Allagadda, Srirangam, Madurai, Tirupati, Mahabalipuram and other places constructed the 108 Divya Deshas.

Another striking aspect about the 108 Divya Deshas is that Purushila (a form of Krishna shila) was used for sculpting the 325 idols in these temples. The Purushila stone was sourced from Valajya, Kanchipuram and it was tested for its sound, before proceeding to sculpt the idols.

This apart, many Saligramas (holy stones associated with Lord Vishnu) were sourced from River Gandaki, Nepal and they were exchanged for the Saligramas used at the existing 108 temples across the country. All the pujas and rituals performed to the Saligramas at the existing temples would also be performed here at the 108 Divya Deshas, said Chinna Jeeyar Swamy.

This was done to establish cosmic connectivity between the existing 108 temples and the Divya Deshas constructed here for the benefit of devotees. People, who cannot visit the 108 temples across the country, can visit the 108 Divya Deshas and seek blessings, he said.

The 108 Divya Deshas are constructed replicating the sanctum sanctorum, gopurams, kalashas and the main idol existing at the 108 temples across the country.

Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabadi Samaroham – Feb 2 to14

– Sri Lakshmi Narayana Maha Yajna to be performed with 1,035 homa kundas for universal wellbeing.
– President Ramnath Kovind to unveil 120 kg gold deity of Sri Ramanujacharya on February 12.
– Inception of 108 Divya Deshas is a first of its kind in the world.
– 108 Divya Desas will be consecrated, making use of the divine soil from the 108 places.
– Nine branches of four Vedas will be chanted.
– Ashtakshari Maha mantra will be chanted for 10 crore times.
– Ithihasas, Puranas, Agamas will be recited.
– Maha prasadam to be served round the clock.
– There are nine different shaped kundas at every Yagashala.
– One main and 144 other Yagashala, in which 112 consist of Kunda’s meant for different Homams for different ritual nirvana’s.
– Vishnu Sahasranamam of 108 shlokas named to every Kunda in the Yagashala’s.
– Every morning, Ashtakshari Mantram will be recited for one crore times during the 12 days programme.
– Maha Purnahuti on February 14.

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