Massive Hindu Icons Mark Growing Presence in North America

Massive Hindu Icons Mark Growing Presence in North America
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The construction of colossal statues of Hindu deities has become a prominent symbol of the expanding visibility and establishment of the Hindu community across North America in recent years, an article by Shia Waves Persian reported.

Over the past decade alone, at least five major Hindu deity statues have been erected in cities across the United States and Canada. The most recent installation is a 90-foot tall statue of Hanuman located near the Sri Ashta Lakshmi temple in Texas.

In Canada, the trend is marked by the tallest Shiva statue in North America, standing at approximately 54 feet, which was installed in Brampton, Ontario.

Temple leaders emphasize that these monuments serve both a religious function and as a powerful sign of the Hindu community’s consolidation and confidence within North America’s multicultural landscape. Hindu media outlets describe these installations as a turning point for Indian immigrants in the West, symbolizing a shift from a phase of isolation to one of open cultural presence and visibility in their host societies, often described by community leaders with the slogan, “We have arrived.”