UP’s tallest Hanuman statue comes up in Saifai

KANPUR: The state’s tallest Hanuman statue, 35 feet high, was installed in Saifai, the hometown of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, amid vedic hymns on Tuesday. The statue that has been placed on 20-foot high platform on Saifai Mahotsav campus, can be seen from any direction in the town. Made of brass, it has been sculpted by Padamshri Arjun Singh Prajapati and his son Mukesh Prajapti. The statue was brought to Saifai from Jaipur where it was made.

KANPUR: The state’s tallest Hanuman statue, 35 feet high, was installed in Saifai, the hometown of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, amid vedic hymns on Tuesday.

The statue that has been placed on 20-foot high platform on Saifai Mahotsav campus, can be seen from any direction in the town. Made of brass, it has been sculpted by Padamshri Arjun Singh Prajapati and his son Mukesh Prajapti. The statue was brought to Saifai from Jaipur where it was made.

Eleven priests, specially called from Varanasi, conducted the rituals in the presence of party MP and close relatives of Mulayam, Dharmendra Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and Anshul Yadav among others.

Dharmendra, an MP from Badaun, is chairman of Saifai Mahotsav organizing committee and MP from Mainpuri, Tej Pratap is convener of the same committee.

The committee claimed the statue was the tallest in the state.

Each year before the start of annual cultural extravaganza, Saifai Mahotsava, which is known for performances of leading Bollywood stars, a statue of Hanuman was put up.

The statue, after culmination of the event, was immersed in the river.

But the committee decided to place a permanent statue last year and asked Prajapati to make one. It was delivered one February 11 this year but it was kept covered.

On Tuesday it was placed with the help of large cranes in the presence of Yadav clan.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was expected to attend the special prayers, could not make it.

Dharmendra, Tej Pratap and Anshul Yadav, chairman of the Etawah Zila Panchayat, offered prayers and opened the Bhandara for people who were given ‘prasad’ throughout the day.