Goa is widely seen as a land of beaches, nightlife, tourism, and a strong imprint of its Portuguese past, making the unveiling of the world’s tallest statue of Lord Ram in the state appear unexpected to many. However, the 77-foot bronze statue inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday at the Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math is deeply rooted in Goa’s centuries-old spiritual history and the legacy of Dvaita Vaishnavism. Rather than representing an abrupt cultural shift, the statue reflects a long continuum of faith that predates colonial rule and endured through it.
The unveiling took place during the 550th-year celebrations of the Partagali Math, one of the earliest and most significant Dvaita Vaishnava institutions in India and the central religious seat of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community. Modi also inaugurated a Ramayana Theme Park and released a commemorative stamp and coin as part of the event. Addressing thousands of devotees, he highlighted how the math protected Hindu traditions and identities during periods when Goa’s temples and culture faced destruction and displacement.
Created by renowned sculptor Ram V. Sutar, the statue has been presented as the tallest depiction of Lord Ram in the world. Modi described it as a monument to the values of unity, faith, and India’s civilisational strength.
To understand why such a monument stands in Goa, it is necessary to look at the region’s spiritual history. Dvaita Vaishnavism, founded in the 13th century by Madhvacharya, teaches a dualistic understanding of God and the soul, with Lord Vishnu as supreme and his avatars, including Ram, as central objects of worship. For Vaishnavites along India’s western coast, Partagali Math has been the oldest and most enduring centre of Ram devotion. For more than five centuries, it served as a spiritual anchor for Saraswat Hindus in Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, preserving scriptures, idols, and practices even while facing missionary pressure and restrictions during Portuguese rule.
Among the sacred elements preserved by the math is the ancient idol of Shri Veera MoolaRama Devaru, held in deep reverence by the community. The institution thus became a strong symbol of cultural resilience, offering continuity while the surrounding region went through dramatic political and social transformations.
Along with its deep historic roots, devotion toward Lord Ram today also plays an increasingly visible role in Goa’s contemporary cultural landscape. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has openly associated himself and his government with Ram worship, supported the creation of the statue, and advocated for setting up a Goa Bhawan in Ayodhya. When the Ram Mandir was inaugurated in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, Goa witnessed widespread celebrations across districts—an expression of faith that challenges the state’s external image as only a party destination.
Against this historical and modern backdrop, the installation of the world’s tallest statue of Lord Ram in Goa emerges not as an anomaly but as a culturally fitting and symbolically powerful development. The celebration at Partagali Math marks both a tribute to Goa’s ancient Vaishnavite heritage and a reaffirmation of continuity after surviving eras of suppression and change. In a state best known globally for tourism, the statue now stands as a reminder that beneath the beaches and nightlife lies a much older spiritual foundation—one resilient enough to rise again, visibly and proudly.
