An impressive statue, said to be the tallest of its kind in North America, has just been unveiled in Mississauga, and an expert is explaining why it is a source of inspiration for many.
On Sunday, an event organized by the Hindu Heritage Centre in Streetsville gathered over 10,000 people for the unveiling of a 51-foot statue of Hindu God Shri Ram Murti, also known as Lord Ram.
The large-scale event included a grand parade, a formal ceremony, complementary lunch to attendees, and even speeches by local leaders
Kushagr Sharma, who is a spokesperson for the Hindu Heritage Centre and one of the event organizers, tells Now Toronto that Lord Ram’s inspiring story was what inspired the new monument.
According to Sharma, Lord Ram was born to a famous Indian king, thousands of years ago, but was banished from his kingdom for 14 years after his stepmother conspired against him. While banished, a so-called “demon king” kidnapped his wife, and he saw himself having to fight for her freedom. After rescuing her, he was able to return to the kingdom as a king, becoming a symbol of resilience and courage.
“It’s a source of inspiration. And that’s the whole reason we had this statue there, [it] is so it inspires all of us, and not just Hindus,” he said.
Sharma also revealed that out of the thousands of people who took to Mississauga’s streets to celebrate the new monument, about 30 per cent were not Hindu, with even a nearby church’s priest and local seniors joining the celebration.
According to him, while Lord Ram is a typical Hindu figure, his story aims to send a positive message that can inspire anyone, from members of the community to all Canadians.
“I think that brought the most joy to me seeing that it’s accepted by our community here. And, you know, that reflects what Canada is, right? We’re all just different cultures coming together and celebrating the best of one another,” he added.
Sharma also shared that engineers making the statue guaranteed that its structure will be able to stand strong for over a hundred years, and withstand up to 200 km/h of wind and extreme winter conditions.
While the project received support from the City of Mississauga for its inauguration event, Sharma says that it was fully funded by the centre with the use of private donations.
