Statue of Unity

The Statue of Unity is a 182 metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel near Kevadia, now called Ekta Nagar, in Gujarat, and it is the tallest statue in the world. The Statue of Unity honours Patel, independent India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, who persuaded more than 500 princely states to join the new Indian union after 1947.

The height of 182 metres was chosen to match the number of seats in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. The statue was designed by the sculptor Ram V Sutar, built by Larsen and Toubro with a bronze skin over a steel and concrete frame, and opened on 31 October 2018, Patel's birth anniversary. It stands on Sadhu Bet, a rocky islet in the Narmada river facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam, and a whole visitor district has grown up around it, with gardens, a jungle safari park and riverfront walks. For many Indian families the Statue of Unity has become a pilgrimage to a national founder as much as a sightseeing stop.

What to see

• The viewing gallery at 153 metres, inside the statue's chest, with views over the Narmada, the dam and the Satpura and Vindhya hills
• The museum and audio visual gallery at the base, covering Patel's life and the joining of the princely states
• The evening laser and light show projected onto the statue
• The Valley of Flowers gardens along the river approach
• The Sardar Sarovar Dam, one of the largest concrete dams in India, a short drive upstream

What to wear

Comfortable, modest casual clothing is fine at the Statue of Unity; there is no formal dress code. The area is very hot from March to June, so wear a hat, sunglasses and light cotton, and carry water, as there is a lot of walking in the open. Winter mornings can be cool. Good walking shoes help on the long walkways. Gujarati traditional dress is colourful: women wear the chaniya choli, a flared embroidered skirt and blouse, and men the kediyu, a short pleated top, which you will see during Navratri in autumn.

Local food to try

Gujarat is largely vegetarian, and the food courts and restaurants at Ekta Nagar serve a Gujarati thali with dal, kadhi, shaak, rotli, rice and a sweet. Look out for dhokla and khandvi, soft steamed snacks of gram flour, and undhiyu, a winter mixed vegetable dish. In Vadodara, 90 km away, try sev usal, a spicy pea curry topped with fried noodles, and Gujarati farsan snacks. Alcohol is prohibited in Gujarat except with a permit, so plan accordingly.

Good to know

• Best time: October to February, arriving early to beat the queues for the gallery
• Open Tuesday to Sunday, about 8am to 6pm; closed Mondays
• Timed tickets; the viewing gallery costs extra and sells out at weekends, so book online
• Allow a full day to include the gallery, museum and evening laser show
• About 90 km from Vadodara by road; Ekta Nagar railway station is close by
• Bags and some items are screened at security, and drones are not permitted

Nearby places

The Statue of Unity is far from Gujarat's other major sights: Somnath Temple is about 360 km away in a straight line and the Rann of Kutch about 450 km. Across the Maharashtra border, the Ajanta Caves are about 250 km away.