A new idol of Ram Lalla, sculpted by Mysuru-based artist Arun Yogiraj, has been chosen for installation at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, announced Champat Rai, the general secretary of the temple trust, on Monday. The current idol, revered for the past 70 years, will also find a place in the sanctum sanctorum of the new temple.
The consecration ceremony, known as "Pran Pratishtha," is scheduled for January 22, starting at 12:20 pm. Rai provided details about the new idol, crafted from stone and estimated to weigh between 150-200 kgs. The idol portrays Ram Lalla as a five-year-old boy in a standing posture.
Rai specified that the idol would be placed in the 'garbh griha' (sanctum sanctorum) on January 18, with the ceremony's auspicious timing determined by Varanasi-based Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid. The entire ritual process, known as "karmakand vidhi," will be overseen by Laxmikant Dixit of Varanasi.
The temple will be closed on January 20 and 21, with public visitation to resume from January 23. The city is preparing for the grand ceremony, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend.
Over 7,000 invitations have been extended by the temple trust, including to prominent figures such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Amitabh Bachchan, Mukesh Ambani, and Gautam Adani.
The idol sculpted by Arun Yogiraj was chosen from three options. Yogiraj, known for his sculptures of Adiguru Shankaracharya at Kedarnath and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate, received praise for his work from trust members.
Rituals leading up to the "Pran Pratishtha" will commence on Tuesday and continue until January 21. On January 22, essential rituals for the consecration will be conducted, including the 'adhivas' ritual for the idol.
Prime Minister Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, UP Governor Anandiben Patel, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, and temple trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das will be present in the sanctum sanctorum during the ceremony. Attendees will include all temple trustees, seers from about 150 sects, and over 500 individuals associated with the temple's construction, known as the "Engineer Group."
Gifts for the ceremony are pouring in from various places, including Mata Sita's maternal home in Janakpur, Nepal, and water from significant pilgrimage sites. The Ram temple complex, built in the traditional Nagara style, will stand at 380 feet in length, 250 feet in width, and 161 feet in height, with a total of 392 pillars and 44 gates.
(With Agency Inputs)
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