Thinking of Visiting the Statue of Unity? Here's What You Should Know!

Travellers exploring Gujarat now have a brand new addition to their itineraries—the Statue of Unity. A tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which was inaugurated on the 143^rd birth anniversary of the Ironman of India, the statue towering at 182 metres is now the tallest in the world.

The Statue of Unity built on Sadhu Bet, an island in the vicinity of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada riverbed, is twice the size of the iconic Statue of Liberty in New York and almost five times as tall as the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. It has also surpassed the Buddha statue at the Spring Temple Budha Lushan Country in Henan, China, which held the held the crown of the tallest statue in the world at 153 metres.

Fact-File

Ticket prices to visit Observation Deck view, Valley of Flower, Memorial, Museum & Audio Visual Gallery, SOU site, Sardar Sarovar Dam

Express Entry: INR 1000 per adult/child

Viewing Gallery: INR 200/child and INR 350/adult

Timings: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday

*Statue of Unity remains open on all the days except Mondays. So, plan your trip accordingly.

What All You Can Do There?

Take a road trip from Vadodara Airport to Narmada’s Kevadia district, which is a one hour thirty-five minutes’ drive, connected through a highway. Making the journey more pleasant is a valley of flowers along the road. Upon reaching the Statue of Unity, go up to the chest level to reach the viewing gallery at the height of 135 meters and gaze at the Sardar Sarovar Dam!

Want selfies at the vantage point? Head to the selfie point and take home some memorable snapshots. You can also learn more about the life Iron Man of India at the museum and audio-visual gallery, within the statue premises. If you have time, don’t forget to acquaint yourself with the unification of India in the post-Independence period while you enjoy a laser, light and sound show here.

Check into the Shrestha Bharat Bhavan, a 52-room three-star lodging facility here, if you’re up for staying for the night. 

Did You Know?

The towering structure, which was built in a record time of 33 months, has been built with 90,000 tonnes of cement and 25,000 tonnes of iron to withstand the even the harshest elements of nature, be it torrent winds or earthquakes. 

Read More: 10 Must Visit Places In Gujarat

At one-and-a-half times the length of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in its vicinity, the Statue of Unity will also offer a panoramic view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and the 200-km long water reservoir beyond it as well as the Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges on the periphery from its visitor gallery.

Looks like the 8^th wonder of the world has arrived?

Book Your Flight to Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Photo Courtesy: Statue of Unity Official Website (http://www.statueofunity.in/)