On Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary, here’s how you can plan a visit to Statue of Unity

October 31, 2025, marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the world’s tallest statue could be worth a visit.

One grey afternoon, I was standing by the feet of a tall man. A really tall man and conjuring mathematical numbers. He was wearing strappy sandals with neat stitches and I was trying to stack myself 100 times over to reach his height. He is 182 metres tall, I am petite - if I stacked myself 100 times head to toe, I would be as tall as him. Perhaps not.

Statue of the Unity is the world’s tallest statue.

Standing in the shadow of the gigantic bronze-clad statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, even my mathematical imagination failed me. After all, Statue of Unity (SoU) is the world’s tallest statue that pays homage to the man who united India with his grit and statesmanship. Sardar Patel would have turned 150 years old on October 31, 2025.

All about the Statue of Unity

The imaginary self-stacking failed miserably. And then I was stumped by the numbers to create the world’s tallest statue that is an architectural and engineering marvel built on what was once called the Sadhu Hill - 210,000 cubic metres. of cement concrete has been poured into the statue that is made of 18,500 tonnes of reinforced steel, 6,500 tonnes of structural steel, 1,700 tonnes of bronze and 1,850 tonnes of bronze cladding made up of nearly 565 macro & 6,000 micro panels. The statue has been engineered to withstand wind speeds of up to 180 km/hour and can also survive earthquakes measuring up to 6.5 on the Richter Scale.

Sardar Vallabhai Patel with his daughter Maniben scan the approaching shores of Bombay when the INS 'Delhi' returned from the United State of Travancore-Cochin on May 18 1950.

The crowd was milling around the Statue of Unity. The queues to the viewing gallery that sits at the chest level of the SoU was seemingly endless. But I opted for Express Entry elevator that whooshes 153 metres in 38 seconds for a breathtaking view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the Narmada River and the Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges. If you squint a little between the burly rods of structural steel, you can see the back of the second button of Sardar Patel’s jacket. That jacket was his signature sartorial style, and the Sardar Sarovar Dam his big dream.

The 182-metre high statue is hollow from inside housing a museum that relives the memories of Sardar Patel and his unforgettable role in political integration of 562 out of the 565 princely states into the Indian Union. At the heart of the Museum is a large copper face of Sardar Patel and around him photographs that tell stories of the man who was born in Nadiad 150 years ago. On a large wall hangs an iron frame silhouette of Sardar Patel filled shovels, hammers, nails, axes… samples from the 135 metric tonnes of iron that farmers of 1,69,000 villages donated for the making of the statue.

Do not miss the 23-minute laser show that starts at 7.45 pm sharp.

The Statue of Unity closes at 6 pm and I had a little time before the 23-minute laser show that starts sharp at 7.45 pm. From the engineering marvel created by nearly 300 engineers and 3,000 workers, I watched a tiny tailor bird and a few wasps build their own homes just outside my well-appointed cottage in Statue of Unity Tent City 1 that sits smugly by Sardar Sarovar Dam’s Dyke 4. The nests of wasps and tailor birds are tiny but still an architectural marvel. In Statue of Unity Tent City -1, scaly-breasted munnias were stealing lemon grass to build their homes in the wooden truss, the in-house story teller was narrating the mythological origin of the Narmada river and the chef was preparing what Sardar Patel loved the most - simple Gujarati traditional food.

The Statue of Unity is located in Kevadia, Gujarat. (Made using Gemini AI)

In Kevadiya (now called Ekta Nagar), the luminance of Sardar Patel’s statue falls on everything. From stories that sneak into conversations, history that is grateful to him for forging a united India, the Sardar Sarovar Dam that he envisioned, the Narmada river that flows by his statue…. He stands tall, I could never stack myself enough to reach his height. But I brought him home - the bronze-clad statue of Sardar Patel gifted by Chetan Verma, the Head of Operations, Tent City-1. Now, Sardar Patel’s luminance brightens my home.

The Statue of Unity Museum is a must-visit.

Getting there

Statue of Unity is 91 kms from Vadodara airport. Nearest railway station is Ektanagar. Taxi from Vadodara airport to Tent City-1 costs around ₹3,800 (two-hour drive).

Stay at Statue of Unity Tent City -1 by Evoke Experiences.

Where to stay

Statue of Unity Tent City-1 (Dyke 4, Sardar Sarovar Dam Site, Ekta Nagar), that has 58 cottages and villas. Per night tariff (excluding taxes) for two pax starts at ₹14,000 for Premium cottages and ₹16,000 for Royal suite - includes all meals and curated sight-seeing. You can also buy 3-night package for a discounted price. Tent City-1 only serves vegetarian meals. Phone: 6354 911451. Email: asm1@evokeexperiences.in. Website: statueofunitytentcity.com

Go to the Arogya Van that houses medicinal plants.

What to see or do

Statue of Unity (regular entry ticket is included in Tent City-1 room tariff) + laser show that starts at 7.45 pmt, tribal lunch at Ekta Nursery, Sardar Sarovar Dam, Arogaya Van, Narmada Aarti, jungle safari, Butterfly Park, Valley of Flowers, visit Ekta Mall for local handicraft and clothes. Buy local snacks at Jagdish Restaurants/stores. Attend Narmada Arti at 7 pm.

Statue of Unity tickets: ₹150, ₹380 for entry + visit to the viewing gallery at 135 ft. ₹1,030 for Express Entry. Foreigners pay ₹1,530 for Express Entry. You can book tickets at www.soutickets.in

All attractions, including Statue of Unity, are closed on Mondays.