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Statue of Union

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Not to be confused with Statue of Unity.

Statue of Union
Statue of Union
Map
Interactive map of Statue of Union
LocationSugar Land, Texas, United States
Coordinates29°40′12″N 95°37′06″W / 29.6700°N 95.6182°W / 29.6700; -95.6182
TypeStatue
MaterialPanchaloha
Height90 feet (27 m)
Opening dateAugust 18, 2024; 17 months ago (2024-08-18)
Dedicated toHindu God Hanuman
Websitestatueofunion.org

Statue of Union is a 90-foot (27 m) statue built in the likeness of the Hindu God Hanuman, that is located at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Houston (with a postal address in Sugar Land, Texas, United States).[1] It is the fourth-tallest statue in the United States after the Birth of the New World, the Statue of Liberty and the Pegasus and Dragon. The statue is named Statue of Union because Lord Hanuman reunited Sri Rama with Maa Sita in the Hindu epic Ramayana.[2] The statue symbolises “selflessness, devotion, and unity.”[3]

Construction

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The Statue of Union was envisioned by an Indian spiritual leader Chinna Jeeyar Swami, who also envisioned the Statue of Equality in Hyderabad, India.[4] He called the statue a spiritual epicenter for North America.[5] The statue was designed by Chinna Jeeyar Swami in India. The parts were manufactured in China and then shipped to the United States and assembled at the temple. Sreenarasimhaiah, the temple's vice president, said that people of "all sorts of faiths" worked on the project locally.[6]

The statue is cast in bronze. It is 90 feet tall and weights 90 tons. It depicts Lord Hanuman in the upright position with both his palms facing forward. Its detailed craftsmanship includes his main weapon Gada with patterns around it. The base of the statue features detailed design of an elephant and flowers.[7]

The unveiling of the statue took place after a 3-day ceremony that happened between August 15 and 18, 2024.[4] It started on August 15, overlapping with India's Independence Day celebrations. The prana pratishtha took place at precisely 9:09 AM on August 18, 2024.[8] The ceremony featured flower showering from a helicopter, a sacred water sprinkling, and a 72-feet-long garland draped around Lord Hanuman’s neck.[9] The event was also accompanied by patriotic songs and the national anthems of India and the US, including Vande Mataram, Jana Gana Mana, and the Star-Spangled Banner.[8]

Reception

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The American Hindu community celebrated the installation of the statue.[10] However, soon after the inauguration, the statue drew protests from some Christian conservatives, who gathered outside the temple, prayed against it, and described it as a "demon god" or idolatrous.[11][12][13][14] Some online voices mocked the statue's monkey-like depiction of Hanuman or called for legal challenges similar to those against Christian symbols elsewhere.[15]

In September 2025, a Texas Republican leader Alexander Duncan called it "a false statue of a false Hindu God" claiming the United States is a "Christian nation" and must not allow such a construction.[16][17] Duncan followed up by quoting Bible verses against idolatry (e.g., Exodus 20:3-4). This sparked widespread outrage, with groups like the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) calling it "anti-Hindu hate," inflammatory, and a violation of religious freedom/1st Amendment principles.[18] They urged the Texas GOP to discipline him.[18] Duncan later defended his comments as "merely asking a question" from a Christian perspective, not anti-Hindu. Critics tied it to rising anti-Indian/anti-Hindu sentiment amid debates over H-1B visas, immigration, and cultural changes in Texas (e.g., large Indian populations in areas like Sugar Land, Frisco, and Irving).[19] Eventually, Duncan's Senate campaign faltered and he failed to advance in the primary race by late 2025, with some observers noting that overt religious intolerance wasn't a winning strategy in diverse Texas.[20][21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "90-ft Hanuman Statue of Union unveiled in Texas, 3rd tallest in US". The Times of India. August 21, 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  2. ^ "90-Foot Hanuman Statue Unveiled in Houston, Third Largest in U.S. The statue has a posture of Hanuman blessing with both hands, called Abhaya Hanuman". www.deccanchronicle.com. August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Press Trust Of India". www.ptinews.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Prasad, Sheetal. "90-ft Lord Hanuman's 'Statue Of Union': Third Tallest in the US". News24. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "90-Foot-Tall Bronze Hanuman 'Statue Of Union' Unveiled In Texas". Times Now. August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  6. ^ Weber, Natalie. "Sugar Land-area Hindu temple now home to third largest statue in the U.S." Houston Public Media. University of Houston. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  7. ^ "Grand 90-Foot-Tall Lord Hanuman Statue Unveiled In Houston; Check Pics". Odisha TV. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Historic Inauguration of the Statue of Union: A Grand Celebration in Sugar Land | Indo American News". Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  9. ^ "Texas gets tallest Hanuman statue outside India. What you need to know". Firstpost. August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  10. ^ "Sugar Land-area Hindu temple now home to third largest statue in the U.S. – Houston Public Media". www.houstonpublicmedia.org. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  11. ^ "It's One of America's Most Successful Experiments, and It's Coming to an End". www.nytimes.com.
  12. ^ "Why are Americans calling Texas Hanuman statue a 'demon'?". theprint.in. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  13. ^ "Huge Half-Monkey Half-Human Statue in Texas Sparks Conservative Backlash - Newsweek". www.newsweek.com. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  14. ^ "Watch | Church group protests against 90-foot Lord Hanuman statue in US, calls it 'demon god'". WION. August 27, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  15. ^ "Why Maga can't keep calm about Hanuman statue in Texas - Times of India". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  16. ^ "'False god': Republican leader's remark on Hanuman statue sparks row in US". Hindustan Times. September 23, 2025.
  17. ^ "'Why are we allowed a false statue...': Republican leader Alexander Duncan under fire for comment on 90-ft Texas Hanuman statue, HAF reports to GOP". The Times of India. September 24, 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "'Why are we allowed a false statue...': Republican leader Alexander Duncan under fire for comment on 90-ft Texas Hanuman statue, HAF reports to GOP - The Times of India". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  19. ^ "'Hindu-American population will hit a million, votes will shift': Texas politician warned over 'No Temple' remark". www.financialexpress.com. January 12, 2026.
  20. ^ "Texas Senate candidate, Alexander Duncan, who attacked Hanuman statue fails to make primary ballot - India Today". www.indiatoday.in. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  21. ^ "Who is Alexander Duncan, Texas Republican under fire for 'false Hindu God' comment on Hanuman statue? | Today News". www.livemint.com. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
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