Magnificent G20 venue Bharat Mandapam with 'Nataraja' in front all lit up, pics inside

The Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre (IECC) in New Delhi will host the G20 Summit 2023, scheduled for September 9 and 10. The Summit will feature participation from the leaders of 20 nations. The venue days before the Summit commencement has been decked up.

The reason behind the selection of the Bharat Mandapam as the venue for the G20 Summit instead of Lutyens' Delhi the Union Minister for External Affairs (MEA) S Jaishankar said that the convention centre is inspired by Indian traditions and represents different parts of the country. “It’s a different government, era and different thought process. The Prime Minister suggested that the G20 Summit should be treated as a national endeavour and that different parts of India must have a sense of participation. And, Bharat Mandapam is truly non-partisan,” he added.

The name of the convention centre gets its root from Lord Basaveshwara’s idea of Anubhav Mandapam.

The entire campus is spread across 123-acre and is a testament to the modern architectural grandeur, including 12 expansive exhibition halls which are connected by a 40-foot wide glass canopy, the state-of-the-art convention centre which accommodates seven thousand people and next to it, is a beautiful public plaza with an artificial lake that takes about 1.5 acres.

A huge 28-feet-tall statue of 'Nataraja', believed to be the world's tallest, graces the entrance of the convention hall at Bharat Mandapam. The statue symbolises Lord Shiva as the 'Lord of Dance' and his cosmic power of creation and destruction.

The International Exhibition and Convention Centre (IECC) will serve as the main venue for the G20 Summit 2023. Bharat Mandapam is a representation of India’s culture and values, the country’s G20 Presidency, the significance and importance of the international summit and is the perfect blend of culture, technology and traditions. 

The Nataraja statue, towering at 27 feet and weighing an astounding 18 tons, is a masterpiece crafted from Ashtadhatu, a unique alloy. It was meticulously sculpted by the renowned artist Radhakrishnan Sthapaty and his team from Swami Malai in Tamil Nadu. Their exceptional dedication allowed them to complete this remarkable work in a record time of just seven months. Notably, Radhakrishnan comes from a lineage of 34 generations dedicated to sculpting idols, dating back to the Chola Empire era.

The creation of Bharat Mandapam is a testament to international collaboration. The project was designed by Arcop in association with Aedas, Singapore, bringing together a wealth of expertise to craft this architectural gem. 

Manuscripts of the Rig Veda from India, a rare copy of the Magna Carta from the UK and an anamorphic digital image of Mona Lisa from France will be among the several artefacts to be exhibited at the 'Culture Corridor' coming up at the G20 Summit venue here.

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.