The stage is set for the unveiling of 108 ft-high statue of Adi Shankaracharya, the icon of ‘Unity and Oneness’, in the holy town of Omkareshwar in Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh today.
The bronze alloy statue of the eighth-century philosopher stands on a 75 ft-high concrete pedestal.The statue is of an 11-year-old image of the great saint, revered as the reincarnation of Lord Shiva by the Hindus.
The statue is in walking posture making it one of its kind statues in the world.
“The life expectancy of the statue is approximately 500 years and it is designed to withstand extreme wind conditions and earth-quake force”, the literature on the statue released by the Madhya Pradesh government said.
The proposed Advait Lok will be built over an area of 15.6 hectares.
A museum showcasing the lifetime of Adi Shankaracharya is also proposed at the site.Adi Shankaracharya had united six sects with his propagation of the Vedanta philosophy of ‘Oneness’.
Around 5,000 seers are expected to attend the occasion and participate in the installation of the statue.
