Ayodhya, India

India is eagerly anticipating the inauguration of the Ram temple on January 22, 2024, with celebrations already underway across the nation. Ahead of the grand event, Champat Rai, the general secretary of the temple trust, unveiled details about the selected idol of Ram Lalla that will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ayodhya temple. According to Rai, the Ram Lalla idol will be in standing posture and carved in dark stone. 

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"The idol made of Lord Shri Ramlala is in the form of a five-year-old child. The statue is 51 inches tall, made of black stone, and is very attractively made. Its height from toe to eyebrows will be 51 inches," he reportedly said. 

With this, it is believed that the Ram Lalla idol picked for the Ayodhya temple will be either the one sculpted by Arun Yogiraj or the one by Ganesh Bhatt.

These two idols have been carved in dark bluish-grey stone, also known as “Shyam Shila”. This stone is from the Indian state of Karnataka. Meanwhile, the third one was sculpted by Satyanarayan Pandey and his family and is in white makrana marble from the Indian state of Rajasthan. Two not-selected idols will be given reverence as well and the temple trust head Rai said they will be used by it. 

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Details of Ram Lalla Idol

The Ram Lalla idol for the temple will be depicted traditionally. Lord Ram, in a standing posture, will have a lotus as the base. Lotus in Hindu culture is a symbol of divinity. Many deities, including Brahma, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and others, are depicted sitting or standing on a lotus.

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Moreover, Lord Ram will also be holding a bow in the left arm and an arrow in the right. There will also be a quiver strapped on the back of the idol of Lord Ram.

The idol will also have intricate ornaments such as a 'Mukut' (crown), 'Kundal' (earrings), 'Haar' (necklace), 'Bhujavastram' (shoulder cover), 'Angyulika' (finger ring), and 'Nupur' (anklet).

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The dark stone used in the idol is reportedly water-resistant and impervious to offerings like milk, as per the temple trust general secretary Rai. The general secretary further spoke of the meticulous construction of the temple.

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“Iron has also not been used in the temple as it weakens the structure. It has been designed in such a way that as the age increases, a very strong rock will be formed under the ground. No type of concrete has been used above ground, because the age of concrete does not exceed 150 years,” Rai reportedly said.

The consecration of the temple will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Modi on January 22, 2024.

(With inputs from agencies)