Ayodhya Ram Temple construction: Idol depicting Lord Ram's child form near completion

AYODHYA: Ahead of the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, the General Secretary of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Trust, Champat Rai, said on Wednesday that the idol depicting the child form of Lord Ram is 90 percent ready.

"At Ram Janambhoomi temple, a 4'3'' idol depicting the 5-year-old child form of Lord Ram is being constructed at three locations in Ayodhya. Three artisans are building the idol on three different pieces of stone, and one of the idols will be accepted by the Lord. These idols are 90 percent ready, and the finishing work will take about a week to be done,' said Champat Rai.

"The idol will be installed in the 'Grabhgriha' on the ground floor. The ground floor of the temple is almost ready. So, there will be no problem with 'Praan-Pratishtha' (Consecrarion ceremony)," he added. He further mentioned that at least 4000 sadhus are being invited to the 'Praan-Pratishtha' ceremony. The list of further invitees is also ready.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024. The office bearers of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Tirtha Kshetra, along with religious leaders, went to invite the Prime Minister.

Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla (infant Lord Ram) in Ram temple in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, 2024--a week before the main ceremony. A Vedic priest from Varanasi Lakshmi Kant Dixit will perform the main rituals of the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22. From January 14 to January 22, Ayodhya will mark the Amrit Mahautsav.

A 1008 Hundi Mahayagya will also be organised in which thousands will be given food. The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram temple between 12 noon and 12:45 pm on that day. The trust has invited 4,000 saints of all sects for the ceremony.

The foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was laid by PM Modi on August 5, 2020. It is pertinent to note that the Supreme Court's verdict in 2019 on the Ayodhya dispute paved the way for the construction of a grand Ram temple. Following the apex court verdict, the centre set up Shri Ram Janma Bhoomi Tirtha Kshetra' Trust to take all decisions regarding the construction of a magnificent Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The construction of the temple has been progressing at a steady pace under the supervision of the Trust. The idol of Ram Lalla will be in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Earlier the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Trust shared pictures of the floor Inlay work under process in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir and intricate arvings inside the temple.