Prime Minister Narendra Modi has updated his official X (formerly Twitter) handle’s cover photo with an image of the Nataraja statue, recently installed at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan for the G20 summit.
India is hosting the G20 summit this year, commencing officially on September 9, with Prime Minister Modi as its president. India took on the G20 presidency on December 1 the previous year and organized around 200 meetings related to the G20 in 60 cities across the nation.
PM Modi’s X handle’s new cover photo reflects one of the many initiatives undertaken by the central government for the G20 leaders.
The 18-tonne Nataraja statue, made from Ashtadhatu (eight metals), is the tallest of its kind, and according to the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA). The eight metals used in its construction include copper, zinc, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury, and iron.
This photo symbolizes Lord Shiva as the ‘lord of dance’ and stands proudly in front of the Bharat Mandapam. Captured at night, it gleams against a backdrop of purple lights that illuminate the G20 venue.
Sculptor Radhakrishnan Sthapaty from Swami Malai in Tamil Nadu, along with his team, completed this remarkable statue in a record seven months.
The statue was transported from Tamil Nadu to Delhi through a specially designated green corridor.
It was crafted using the lost-wax casting method, resulting in finely detailed single-piece sculptures, with no welded parts in the Nataraja statue.
The statue’s completion cost approximately ₹10-12 crore, according to Sachchidanand Joshi, member secretary of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), just in time for the G20 summit.
India’s preparations for the G20 summit include several grand initiatives, with the Nataraja statue’s striking presence now showcased on the Prime Minister’s X handle.
Image credit PM Twitter