Recently, a 90-foot-high bronze statue of Lord Hanuman was unveiled in Texas, USA. This new statue named ‘Statue of Union’ is visible from miles away, as it is now the third tallest statue in America. The organizers said that the unveiling of this grand statue is “a new milestone in America’s cultural and spiritual landscape”.
Protest held against 90 feet high statue of Lord Hanuman in America
Twenty-five members of a local church protested against the recently unveiled 90-feet bronze statue of Hindu deity Lord Hanuman at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, about 35 km from Houston. Church leader Greg Gervais called Lord Hanuman a ‘demon god’ in a video that went viral on Facebook, while his followers gathered near the statue, praying and proselytizing, until a temple leader threatened to call the police. “Initially we thought the group had come to see the statue because they had read about it on the internet or somewhere else. So, nobody confronted them,” the temple’s joint secretary Dr Ranganath Kandala was quoted as saying by the Houston Chronicle. However, after a while, the group started praying and moving around the statue in a counterclockwise circle. According to Kandala, some protesters approached the temple visitors and urged them that Jesus is the only true God. Some protesters could be heard chanting, “May all false gods burn to ashes.”
The temple secretary said that ‘we all respect God’
Kandala said “I told them, ‘Our teachings say worship your God, but respect everyone. I respect your God and you and I expect you to respect us.’ Some people who felt they were being manipulated replied, ‘What do you know about our Bhagavad Gita and Vedas that you are preaching to me?’ Fortunately, nothing bad happened.”
Gervais said his group went to the temple to pray peacefully, but said Jesus is the only true God. “We believe that Jesus is the only way, and that (the idol) is what you would call a representative of a false idol, which has a spiritual meaning. But that doesn’t mean we don’t live in peace with everyone,” he said.
3rd tallest statue in America
The $8 million Lord Hanuman statue called the “Statue of Union” is now the third tallest statue in the US after the Statue of Liberty and the Pegasus and Dragon statue. The 90-foot-tall bronze statue, named “Statue of Union”, was unveiled during a grand consecration ceremony in Houston on August 18. The monumental statue is now the third tallest statue in the US, surpassed only by the Statue of Liberty and Florida’s Pegasus and Dragon statue.
Cultural Significance of the Statue of Union:
A new cultural landmark in America According to event organisers, the unveiling of the Statue of Union marks a “new milestone in America’s cultural and spiritual landscape.” The statue is located at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Mandir in Sugar Land, Texas. The project’s website describes it as a spiritual centre where “hearts find solace, minds find peace and souls find a path to the transcendent.”
Symbolic representation Why is it called the Statue of Union?
The name ‘Statue of Union’ was chosen to represent Lord Hanuman as a symbol of strength, devotion and selfless service. The statue symbolises Hanuman’s role in uniting Sri Rama with Sita, hence the name. The statue was conceptualised by Padma Bhushan awardee and respected Vedic scholar His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. Event organisers said Swamiji envisioned the project as a spiritual hub for North America.
A local church group entered temple property to “protest” the recently built Hanuman idol in Texas on Sunday.
About 15-20 of protestors were uttering some demonic curses praying for the downfall of “non-believers” and proselytizing on temple grounds harassing temple goers… pic.twitter.com/F8TtdrwNNL
— Journalist V (@OnTheNewsBeat) August 27, 2024
