Months ahead of legislative polls in India's Uttarakhand state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday unveiled a 12ft statue of Hindu spiritual leader Adi Guru Shankaracharya in Kedarnath.
Located in Rudraprayag District, the town is a famous Hindu pilgrimage centre and is visited by disciples from all over the world to worship Lord Shiva at Kedarnath Temple.
On Friday, Modi also inaugurated a rebuilt "Samadhi" (final resting place or memorial) of the revered seer damaged during the 2013 floods.
“After 2013 destruction, people used to wonder whether Kedarnath could be redeveloped. But a voice within me always told me that Kedarnath would be redeveloped again," Prime Minister Modi said during the statue's unveiling.
"I have regularly reviewed redevelopment works at Kedarnath from Delhi. I reviewed progress of different work being carried out here through drone footage,” Modi added.
It was one of Modi's most inspiring projects which was made by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Shilpi.
The statue is made from chlorite schist known for its impermeability to rain, sun and harsh weather. A total of 120 tonnes of stone was needed to carve the statue.
Prime Minister Modi has a number of infrastructure works planned for Uttarakhand state, including roads connecting the four popular pilgrimage sites or "Char Dhams", and a ropeway near Hemkund Sahib to ease access for devotees.
"‘This decade belongs to Uttarakhand. In the next 10 years, the state will receive more tourists than it did in the past 100 years," Modi said during the unveiling.