The statue is an important symbol of cosmic energy, creativity, and power
The world's tallest Nataraja statue, which has been installed at Bharat Mandapam, is all set to welcome delegates at the venue of the G20 Summit in Delhi on September 9-10, 2023.
 
The 27-foot-tall Nataraja, who is Lord Shiva in his cosmic dance posture, weighs 18 tonnes and is made of 'Ashtadhatu' (eight metals). The alloy used for the statue is a mix of copper, zinc, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury and iron.
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the statue as a testament to India's age-old artistry and traditions.
 
“The magnificent Nataraja statue at Bharat Mandapam brings to life aspects of our rich history and culture. As the world gathers for the G20 summit, it will stand as a testament to India's age-old artistry and traditions," Prime Minister Modi wrote on Wednesday (September 6, 2023) as he shared a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA).
  
According to IGNCA, the Nataraja was sculpted in a record time of seven months by sculptor Radhakrishnan Sthapathy and his team at Swamimalai in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu. The statue is an important symbol of cosmic energy, creativity, and power, IGNCA pointed out. 
 
"The #Nataraja statue made of Ashtadhatu is installed at the Bharat Mandapam. The 27 feet tall, 18-ton-weight statue is the tallest statue made of Ashtadhatu and is sculpted by the renowned sculptor Radhakrishnan Sthapaty of Swami Malai in Tamil Nadu and his team in a record 7 months. 34 generations of Radhakrishnan have been making idols since the Chola Empire period. This statue of Nataraja, an important symbol of cosmic energy, creativity,and power, is going to be an attraction at the #G20 summit. This iconic project is carried out by Ministry of Culture team IGNCA," IGNCA said in its post on X.
 
Bharat Mandapam is the newly-built international convention and exhibition centre at New Delhi's Pragati Maidan which will serve as the venue for the G20 Summit.
 
Leaders scheduled to attend the G20 Summit include US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
 
The G20 member countries represent around 85 percent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.