Preparations on for unveiling of Adi Shankaracharya statue

Indore: Elaborate arrangements are being by local administration for unveiling of Adiguru Shankaracharya’s statue in ‘Ekatma Dham’ in Omkareshwar. More than 4,000 rooms would be booked and about 400 vehicles acquired as around 5,000 religious leaders and dignitaries are expected to attend the event.The cost of developing entire ‘Ekatma Dham’ spread on around 28 acres is stated to be around Rs 2,000 crore. The statue has been erected on a 27-feet high base designed as lotus while a museum, a garden, gufa mandir and Abhay Ghat are part of the project.A week-long programme has been planned from September 14 to mark the event that will start with a special pooja at Mandhata hill of Omkareshwar, where the statue’s unveiling is proposed on September 18. A ‘Sant Samagam’ will be organized in Siddhvarkut next day while helicopters will shower flowers on the statue. Besides, a control room has been set up in Omkareshwar, Khandwa and Indore for the guests.For the main event, Indore district administration has been assigned responsibility to book around 4,000 rooms in hotels and also reserve space in government guest houses while at least 400 vehicles will be acquired for transportation of VVIPs and other guests, official sources said.Similar arrangements are being made in Khargone and Burhanpur districts. “The date of the main event is yet to be finalized, but we have started preparations as per the tentative date,” Indore divisional commissioner Mal Singh Bhaydiya said, adding that around 5,000 people are expected to take part in the event.