Date: Take the first day from Holiday Inn review
Venue: Hussain Sagar, Hyderabad

Hyderabad was fairly new for us. Yet one of the many images of Hyderabad that are iconic to the city is the Buddha statue in the center of Hussain Sagar. We were in Hyderabad staying at Holiday Inn Express. On the first evening itself, we decided to visit the Buddha statue which, at a height of 58 ft, is reportedly the largest Buddha monolith in the world.

The Buddha statue is erected on Gibraltar Rock in the middle of the lake. The statue can be viewed and clicked from far. But we wanted to see this up and close.  A ferry took us to this island, Rock of Gibraltar, which carried the statue. It was evening and the statue looked regal under the coloured lights. The statue was sculpted by S.M. Ganapathi Sthapati with the assistance of hundreds of labours. The face of the Buddha exuded peace and tranquility. The fine lines of Budhha’s robes indicated eye for details. We have seen various Buddha statues across the globe in all shapes and sizes. Rarely have we come across such calmness carved in stone more so at this gigantic size. It was literally a humbly experience.

There is not much to do at the island except seeing the statue and enjoying the serenity of the place. In fact, this place has religious significance as well. During the earliest endeavors of carrying the statue to the middle of Hussain Sagar in 1990, the statue toppled over and submerged in the lake. The accident led to deaths as well. The statue was recovered from water and was finally erected on the Gibraltar Rock whereafter it was consecrated by His Holiness Dalai Lama in 1992. Since then it has been an important addition to the skyline of Hyderabad.

If you are in Hyderabad, and have some time on hand in the evening, the Buddha statue at Hussain Sagar is a must do. All you need is an hour in the evening for this activity. The Budhha statue here leaves an impression.