Overview

• The 51-foot fibreglass statue of Lord Ram was unveiled on August 4 at Mississauga’s Hindu Heritage Centre, making it the tallest Ram idol in North America.
• Commissioned by Indo-Canadian business leader Laj Prasher and sculpted by Naresh Kumar Kumawat at Manesar’s Matu Ram Art Center, the figure was prefabricated in Delhi and assembled in Canada atop a seven-foot pedestal.
• Built around a steel superstructure, the idol is engineered to withstand winds up to 200 km/hr and endure for more than 100 years.
• Over 10,000 devotees joined political leaders including Rechie Valdez, Shafqat Ali, Maninder Sidhu and the House of Commons Opposition Leader for inaugural Vedic rituals and a 1.9 km shobha yatra.
• Visible from Toronto Pearson International Airport, the statue reinforces ties to the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and anchors cultural events for the Hindu diaspora.