The Board of Trustees of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has undergone a thorough examination of all three idols of Ram Lalla and provided their opinions in writing to the Trust. Despite this, a final decision on the selection of the idol is pending.
Nripendra Misra, the Chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, was among the 11 members who assessed the three idols. Each member spent around half an hour with the sculptors, engaging in discussions and inspections, and eventually submitted their written evaluations to Champat Rai, the Trust's General Secretary.
Govind Dev Giri, the Trust's treasurer, confirmed that the members had submitted their opinions in writing and emphasized that the final decision rests with the Trust's Chairman, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.
Acknowledging the beauty of all three idols, Giri expressed the difficulty in choosing one for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, the consecration ritual. The Trust, however, did not specify a date for the final selection.
Among the three idols crafted by sculptors Ganesh Bhatt, Arun Yogiraj, and Satya Narayan Pandey, two are to be placed on the temple's first and second floors, while the third will occupy the sanctum-sanctorum.
The idols, made using black stones by the Karnataka artisans and white Makrana marble by the Rajasthan sculptor, are based on a sketch presented to the Trust by artist Vasudeo Kamath from Mumbai.
Kameshwar Choupal, a Trust member, indicated that the 51-inch idol closely resembling the deity would likely be chosen.
The Trust intends to announce the selected idol formally soon. Before its placement in the temple, a Shobha Yatra is scheduled for January 17 in Ayodhya to unveil the chosen idol before the city's residents.
Although the final decision remains pending, insiders suggest that the two idols crafted from Karnataka's black stones are leading contenders. The Trust aims to finalize Ram Lalla's idol for the consecration ceremony on January 22, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to officiate, with rituals commencing on January 16.
(With Agency Inputs)
ALSO READ | Gifts for Lord Ram from his ‘in-laws’ in Mithila
ALSO READ | Ayodhya Airport Set to be Renamed After Maharishi Valmiki
