Tallest Hanuman idol in US made of Warangal granite

HYDERABAD: The tallest Hanuman idol in the US at 25 feet was carved out of a single stone of black granite from Warangal in Telangana. It was inaugurated at the Mahalakshmi temple in Hockessin, in Delaware, on Saturday.
“It took us about eight months from finding the stone to bringing the idol to the US,” said Balreddy Kamireddy, a member of the board of trustees and operations manager at the Hindu Temple Association of Delaware, which manages the temple.

The Hanuman idol weighs 30,000kg and it cost $100,000 to make, excluding transportation charges. Explaining how the idol found its way to the US, Kamireddy said a four-member team from the temple arrived in India in search for a stone out of which the idol could be carved.

“We travelled to Rajasthan, but could not find it the appropriate stone. At last our search brought us to Warangal,” he said.
Under the supervision of a sthapathi – temple architect and chief mason – and dozens of workers, the idol was completed in December. Black granite has been used in several temples in Warangal including at the famous Thousand Pillar Temple.

Once finished, the idol was brought to Hyderabad where the department of archaeology gave the go ahead for it to be transported to the US.
“The president of the Hindu Temple Association, Patibanda Sarma, accompanied the idol,” said Kamireddy. Transportation of Hindu idols requires local government approval so as to ensure the entire process is legal.
The idol arrived in New Jersey in January. Kamireddy said that they got overwhelming support from the local administration in the US in installing the statue.
Kamireddy said, “When we approached executive of New Castle County, Matt Myer, he ensured that four police vehicles were provided as a convoy to the truck carrying the idol. All signals on a stretch from Delaware Memorial Bridge to the temple, about 25km away, were turned green. There could not have been a more befitting way to honor our traditions.”
Incidentally, the temple was inaugurated by current democratic presidential candidate Joe Bidden in 1996. After the installation of the idol on Saturday, a kumbha abhishekam was performed on Sunday. Devotees from all faiths will be allowed to visit the temple.