In Hinduism, Vishnu is the preserver and protector of the universe. Though there are many temples and idols in almost every corner of India, you will be surprised to know that the tallest Lord Vishnu statue in the world is not in India. It is in a Muslim country and the name of this country is Indonesia.
It took twenty-eight years and around $100 million to build the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue.
The total height of the monument, including the 46-metre base pedestal is 122 m (400 ft). The statue is about 30 m (98 ft) higher than the Statue of Liberty. While the Liberty is tall and thin, Garuda is almost as wide as it is high — its wingspan is 64 m (210 ft).
The story of the making of this idol is also very interesting. It is said that in 1979 Nyoman Nuarta, who lived in Indonesia, dreamed of making a giant statue which has not been made in the world till date. It is believed that a company was also formed in the year 1980, under whose supervision all the work of sculpting would be done.
After a long planning, the work of sculpting began in 1994. Many governments in Indonesia helped to build it. However, due to lack of budget, the work was stopped. The work of making the idol was halted in the late 1990s and later resumed many years later in 2013.
The statue is designed to withstand storms and earthquakes, and expected to last for the next 100 years.
The completed monument is about as tall as a 21-storey building. It weighs 4000 tonnes, making it the heaviest statue in Indonesia. The artwork is made of copper and brass supported by 21,000 steel bars, and 170,000 bolts.