MAHASHIVRATRI 2022: Shiva- the ‘Rudra’ god of creation and destruction, widely worshipped, revered all across India and also around the world, embodies the ‘power’/shakti. His seemingly contradictory qualities stem from the fact that he is the supreme restorer of balance in the universe. It is in order to renew and regenerate life forms and carry out the evolution, transformation, that destruction is needed. And this destruction is layered; it doesn’t mean only death of the human body, but annihilating impure, negative thoughts, ideas.
A beautiful, complex, intense concept conveying a very potent message requires a simplified form to penetrate the common man’s psyche. Which is why the consecration and construction of Shiva statues have been a common practice, since ancient times. There have been endeavours to recreate Shiva statues to pay tribute to the Holy Almighty; an attempt to give a material form to this divine form.
ALSO READ: Mahashivratri 2022: These Zodiac Signs To Get Special Blessings of Lord Shiva
On this auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, let’s take a look at some of those material forms of Shiva that have gained prominence owing to their stature.
Here are 7 tallest statues of Lord Shiva around the world:
Kailashnath Mahadev Statue (144 ft)
Featuring in the number 1 slot, Nepal’s Kailashnath Mahadev statue standing tall in the Kavrepalanchwok district is the tallest statue in the world. 108 feet tall following the holy number 108 in Hinduism, this statue has been founded on 36 feet high ground; which adds up to make it a 144 feet statue.
Murudeshwar Shiva statue (123 ft)
Murudeshwara hosts one of the second largest Shiva statues in the world. Shiva’s another name is Murudeshwar. The seated Shiva statue here in Karnataka in the town of Murudeshwar is 123 feet tall.
Sarveshwar Mahadev statue in Vadodara (120 ft)
The 120-feet tall statue of Lord Shiva situated in the middle of Sur Sagar lake in Vadodara, Gujarat is the world’s third tallest statue.
Adiyogi statue in Coimbatore (112 ft)
A 112 feet magnificent statue gracing the Velliangiri foothills is the Adiyogi Shiva. It is the fourth tallest statue. Built with 500 tonnes of steel, it has been recognized as the ‘Largest Bust Sculpture’ in the world by the Guinness World Records. It symbolises the 112 ways of yogic culture to attain liberation/moksha.
Mangal Mahadev statue in Mauritius (108 ft)
With 108 feet height, Mangal Mahadev statue in Savanne district of Mauritius is the fifth tallest statue in the world.
Mankamaeshwar Shiva statue in Allahabad (108 ft)
This is again a 108 feet statue which ranks fifth in position along with the one in Mauritius.The 33 metres high bull/Nandi in this statue adds the uniqueness to the whole visual.
Har ki Pauri Shiva statue in Hardwar (100 ft)
The 100-feet statue located in the banks of Ganges in Hardwar is a beautiful Shiva statue. It is the sixth tallest Shiva statue
