The Statue of Unity, the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is now the tallest statue in the world at 182m, and it belongs to Kevadiya, and to India.
This colossal marvel is definitely not a colossal waste of money as projected by many sections in the media.
Baroda is the nearest airport, 90 km from Kevadiya. Ekta Nagar (Kevadiya) has direct train connectivity to many stations.
A 1 night 2 day stay at the town should be a good plan.
Tip: Avoid weekends and holidays.
Hotels are aplenty. Tent City 1&2 are within the SOU complex and are recommended. If pricey, there are hotels 4-5km away as well.
Petals Unity Hotel is one of them.
The online booking for the SOU begins 1 mth prior. It is highly preferable to book well in advance.
Tip: Express entry ticket is advisable. It helps skip a lot of queues.Select the slot for the viewing gallery (preferable 4-6pm)and and the place to sit for watching the laser show( preferable SOU campus )
There are many other activities apart from the statue viewing.
Private vehicles are not allowed beyond the car park. Travel within the complex is by buses (free) or by rickshaws (nominal charges).
Tip: Book an e-rickshaw for approx ₹600 for a short 1 hr sight seeing local tour.
Jungle safari:
A tour (₹200) at the Sardar Zoological Park is a must do activity at the complex.
They accept only card payments though.
DSLR cam is charged extra.
The queue for the golf cart is quite long but fast moving. It takes you to spots which are a little too far to walk.
The Exotic birds’ enclosure is the attraction to look out for. The entire tour around the park can take close to 2 hrs.
The park is a zoo but gives the impression of being a safari.
Tip: It can get quite sunny. So make sure you have enough protection.Valley of Flowers:
It’s a photostop for clicking some amazing pics with the Sardar statue as the backdrop.
Glow garden:
It opens after sunset and is well lit up for kids to enjoy. It can be visited after watching the laser show.
Sound and light laser show:
I have seen quite a few such shows across India but they all pale down against this one here.
The show begins at 7pm ( summer timings may differ) - The history of Vallabhbhai Patel and the freedom struggle in a show that is more of a visual extravaganza than a history chapter. It is a photographer’s delight. No visit is complete at the SOU without watching this 20 min show.
Tip: Catch your seat early by 6pm at the SOU campus. Take the left corner seat amongst the front rows.Avoid carrying a big bag or backpack to the complex. Lockers are provided though.
There is a lot of walking inside the SOU, so travel light.
The laser show gets over by 7.30pm and there is then a rush for the buses to the parking lot and to Ekta station. But the crowd management is quite efficient.
The Statue of Unity captures the true essence of a vibrant and progressive Gujarat where most payments are not accepted in cash and tourists are well looked after.
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