PM Modi changes cover image on X to Nataraja Statue at Bharat Mandapam

Ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed his X cover photo. Take a look at what it is

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday changed the cover of his official handle on X (formerly Twitter) with a photo of the Nataraja statue that has been installed at the G20 venue in Delhi's Pragati Maidan.

India is hosting the G20 Summit this year in New Delhi. The mega event will officially begin on September 9 and continue till September 10.

As its president, India has made elaborate arrangements for the visiting heads of state members of the world's major economies. India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022, and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organised in 60 cities across the country.

The cover photo of PM Modi's X handle is one of many initiatives the Centre for G20 Leaders undertake.

The 18-tonne Nataraja statue is the tallest statue made of Ashtadhatu (copper, zinc, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury, and iron), according to Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA).

The photo, symbolising Lord Shiva as the 'lord of dance', is erected in front of the Bhatrat Mandapam. The shot clicked at night shows it glowing against the backdrop of purple lights illuminating the G20 venue.

Sculptor Radhakrishnan Sthapaty of Swami Malai has sculpted the Nataraja statue in Tamil Nadu and his team in a record seven months.

It has been constructed using the lost-wax casting method to make finely detailed single-piece sculptures. This process ensures there are no welded parts in the Nataraja statue.

The statue was finished at approximately Rs 10-12 crore ahead of the G20 Summit, said Sachchidanand Joshi, member secretary of IGNCA.