To make your trip to Kevadia to see Gujarat’s monumental salute to India’s ‘Iron Man’ Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, even more meaningful, it’s worth driving down from Ahmedabad, to his ancestral home at Karamsad, about 77 km away.
Located in Anand District (noted for its bounteous milk products from the world-famous co-operative dairy and the iconic ‘Amul’ brand) Karamsad is a serene backwater. It’s a rare opportunity for you to spend time at the Patel home where both Sardar Vallabhbhai and his politico brother Vithalbhai Patel grew up helping their father take care of the family farmland. The home now serves as a memorial to the young village boy whose ambition for greater things drove him to become a distinguished barrister and statesman— and a luminary in the firmament of India’s freedom fight against the British. As a leading light in the Indian National Congress during the struggle for Indian independence he was to take on the mantle of Deputy Prime Minister of a free India. Later he was to serve as minister of home affairs, minister of information, and minister of states.
Soak in at leisure the pastoral vibe of the great man’s family home which now has on display amongst other memorabilia of his life and time, the Bharat Ratna bestowed upon him for his invaluable contribution to the nation. As you are aware this is the highest civilian Award of the country. Instituted in 1954 it is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.
Moving on, drive through vast swathes of scenic pastoral landscape to Kevadia, which lies just 2.5hrs away. Time has marked out its pace by the quiet flow of the hallowed waters of the Narmada River which muscles its way between the Satpura and Vindhyachal hills.
Statue of Unity
In earlier times, Kevadia was noted for the massive Sardar Sarovar Dam straddling the waters of the holy Narmada River. Though its importance has in no way diminished, in terms of publicity, the famous Dam has quietly taken a back seat to the media hype and touristy popularity of the Statue of Unity- a colossal sculpted replica of Sardar Patel rising to a height of 579 feet on a river island of Sadhu-Bet, in the Narmada Valley.
The Sardar’s statue is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty, in New York, USA. Commissioned in 2013, the Statue of Unity, facing the Dam which also favours the name of the great leader, was completed in 2018. Propelled by the energy and vision of Padma Bhushan-winning sculptor Ram V Sutar this monumental structure, cited as the world’s tallest statue, involved the use of 70,000 tonnes of cement, 18,500 tonnes of steel bars, 6,000 tonnes of structural steel, and 1,700 tonnes of bronze. It has been designed for seismic Zone IV as an earthquake resistant structure. The statue of the leader is remarkable for its adoption of his characteristic garments, dignified posture, confidence, iron will and kindness. Bronze cladding adds richness and visual appeal to it as well.
The Statue of Unity has garnered much interest after the massive media blitz at its opening and tourists from all around the world are flocking to marvel at it. There are lots of things to do which will keep you close to the vicinity of the monument which is the cynosure of all eyes in this picturesque spot by the Narmada.
An unmissable experience is the nightly Sound and Light Laser Show spotlighting the Statue of Unity. The show is accompanied by the lively retelling of the history and life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to the Independence Movement and the unification of India as one nation.
Do visit the Museum at the base of the statue. Equipped with modern audio-visual systems it offers an inspiring insight into the life and work of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Cactus Garden is a unique botanical garden at the Statue of Unity site. Spread over an open expanse of 25 acres are 6 lakh plants of 450 species. The greenhouse here serves as an ecological setting for almost 450 national and international species of cacti and succulent plants largely drawn from North and South America, as well as Africa.
Sardar Sarovar Dam
Boat rides are available for visitors at a specially designated spot on the upstream of the dam on River Narmada. The 1-hr journey, in fact, takes you all the way up to the Maharashtra border.
The massive Sardar Sarovar Dam is another compelling spot to marvel over. The Statue of Unity is located opposite the famous Dam which is the third highest concrete dam (163m) in India after Bhakra (226m) in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar (192m) in Uttar Pradesh. The dam is ranked as the second largest in the world with an aggregate volume of concrete of 6.82 million cubic metre; it stands second only to America’s Grand Coulee Dam with its total volume of 8.0 million cubic metres. The reservoir of the Sardar Patel Dam expands over a massive area of 37,000 km and has a linear stretch of 214 km of water and an average width of 1.77 km.
Valley of Flowers
The northern state of Uttarakhand has long been associated with the Valley of Flowers near the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, from where Hanuman is said to have acquired the life-giving Sanjeevani herb. But not many people are aware that Gujarat has its own picturesque Valley of Flowers, a true hidden gem of floral splendour which has come into the limelight only in recent years for the travelling community.
Visitors at the Statue of Unity have an excellent opportunity to explore the gorgeous natural setting developed alongside the Narmada by Gujarat’s Forest Department. The vast swathe of 600 acres is awash with a fantastic array of 2,400,000 plants. Visitors can explore the five lovely theme-based parks developed here — these include the Garden of Senses, Panchatatva Garden, Green Energy & Upcycling Park, Sardar Park, Butterfly Garden and Adventure Park.
Shoolpaneshwar Temple and Wildlife Sanctuary
A lovely excursion not far from the blandishments of Kevadia involves a visit to a popular temple site and a wonderful outdoor adventure in an uncrowded wildlife habitat.
Though the original Shoolpaneshwar Temple was lost to us in the waters of the Sardar Sarovar Reservoir, a replica was created later on close to the town of Rajpipla, just 36km away. The temple celebrates Lord Shiva with a ‘shool’ or trishul in his hand.
The Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is a haven of tranquillity and verdant splendour. Cutting a swathe of 607.70 sq km near the Rajpipla Hills the Sanctuary incorporates a major watershed channelling rain water to two major reservoirs. The sanctuary is a home to 32 species of mammals, several species of reptiles. Keep your eyes peeled for rare sightings of animals like sloth bear, leopard, Indian porcupine and pangolin. The place is popular for viewings of flying squirrels. The sanctuary is a big attraction for birdwatchers who rarely go back disappointed considering it is the natural habitat for almost 200 avifaunal species.
ACCOMMODATION
The Narmada Tent City is a beautiful resort comprising aesthetically designed and luxuriously appointed tented facilities. The privately run Shreshtha Bharat Bhavan (Ramada Encore) lies close to the iconic statue.
ACCESS
Air and Rail: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (198 km) is well connected to the rest of the country. Other convenient airports are Vadodara International Airport (90km) and Surat International Airport (156km). All three cities have good rail connections as well.