Tallest high-altitude statue puts Shimla in the spotlight

The 108-foot-tall statue of Lord Hanuman atop Jakhu Hill was formally unveiled by actor Abhishek Bachchan on Thursday.

The 108-foot-tall statue of Lord Hanuman atop Jakhu Hill was formally unveiled by actor Abhishek Bachchan on Thursday. The idol,which dwarfs everything else for miles around from its 8,500-foot perch,is the latest landmark for the city. It is also the worlds tallest statue at such a high altitude.

Bachchan,who flew here this morning,was the cynosure of all eyes at the unveiling ceremony along with his sister Shweta Nanda. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal joined him in unveiling the Rs 1.5-crore statue that took two years to complete.

Naresh Kumar,a 30-year-old artiste from Pilani in Rajasthan who built the statue,said,It was the most challenging assignment of my career,both in terms of the size of the piece and the extremely harsh winters of the city. Kumar used nearly 1,500 tonnes of material,including cement and steel,during construction.

Story continues below this ad

At Thursdays function,Nikhil Nanda,Managing Director of JHS Group that has paid for the statue through its philanthropic arm,the H.C. Nanda Trust,said his family had been ardent devotees of Jakhu Temple for the last 30 years.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in his brief address said installation of the idol on Hanuman Jayanti has added a new page in Shimlas tourism history. I think tourists from all over the world would like to visit Jakhu. Eventually,it will be a high point in marketing of the states tourism potential, said Dhumal.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram