Lady Liberty lands in Punjab: 18-foot-tall replica of Statue of Liberty joins list of unique rooftop monuments!

If you were under the misapprehension that the statue the French gifted to America and the one the US reciprocally gifted to France were the only two versions of the infamous Statue of Liberty, we would be happy to give you a gentle nudge towards Punjab.

The mighty Statue of Liberty, a beacon of freedom welcoming countless immigrants to the shores of the United States, has found an unlikely new home — atop a house in a small village in Punjab, India. A recent video captured an under-construction house in the state receiving the rather unexpected addition, and the internet is in splits.

The viral video, shared on X with the caption "Somewhere in Punjab the THIRD liberty statue is installed," has garnered lakhs of views and sparked a wave of comments explaining the phenomenon. For residents of the Doaba region, or other parts of Punjab, ornately designed water tanks or sculptures are a common sight. Apparently, these elaborate water tank decorations often represent a family member who has moved abroad, even if their new life isn't glamorous.

One user chimed in, referencing their cultural research: "We found many families installing water tanks shaped as aeroplanes, Statue of Liberty, Big Ben etc. This was a way of showing others that one of the sons/family members has moved abroad."

Punjab's rooftop sculptures might be unconventional, but they're a delightful reminder of the pride families take in their heritage and the lengths they'll go to showcase their stories. Gurmeet Singh Brar, the head of the family now settled in Indiana, thought of this as a way to thank the United States for all the opportunities the country had afforded him.

The desire for a symbol of their American connection was clear. “The first thing that came to our mind when we thought of having a statue related to the US at our Punjab home was the Statue of Liberty. The entire world knows where it is located, so a glance at it and people would know that our family has a US connection,” explains Brar.

The fibreglass replica, crafted by sculptor Manjit Singh Gill from a nearby village, took about two months to complete. It serves as a unique landmark, a conversation starter, and most of all, it's a declaration of how basic water tankers are just too passé for Punjab.