Ayodhya:
While the black stone idol of Ram Lalla, carved by Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj, has reached the sanctum of the grand temple in Ayodhya, two other idols under consideration will now be placed in other parts of the temple. One of them is a white marble idol carved by Satyanarayan Pandey of Rajasthan. NDTV has accessed a photo of this idol, which could not reach the temple's 'garbha griha' but will be placed elsewhere in the Ram temple.
The white marble idol is currently with the trust. It shows Ram Lalla holding a golden bow and arrow. Behind the deity is an arch-like structure with smaller sculptures depicting various incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The idol shows remarkable craftsmanship as jewelry and clothes adorning the deity are chiselled from marble. The dimensions of the idol correspond to the dimensions set by the foundation that oversees the construction of the temple.
The 51-inch black granite idol that now adorns the temple's sanctum sanctorum was carved from a 2.5 billion-year-old rock, National Institute of Rock Mechanics HS Venkatesh told NDTV.
“The rock is very durable and resistant to climatic variations and will last for thousands of years in this subtropical zone with minimal maintenance,” he says.
The rock used for the idol was brought all the way from Karnataka and reportedly excavated at Gujjegowdanapura in Mysuru. According to news agency PTI, a local contractor drew the temple trust's attention to the quality of the rock after it was found during a leveling exercise on agricultural land.
Sculptor Yogiraj said yesterday in Ayodhya for the 'pran pratistha' ceremony that it was the best day of his life. 'I have always felt that Lord Ram has protected me and my family from all bad times, and I strongly believe that it was He who chose me for the auspicious task. I spent sleepless nights working on the idol with precision, but it was all worth it. I feel like I am the happiest person on earth and today is the best day of my life,” he told PTI.
Besides Mr Yogiraj and Mr Pandey, Ganesh Bhatt from Karnataka had also created a sculpture that was considered for the sanctum sanctorum. That too is now placed somewhere in the temple.
Large parts of the temple are yet to be constructed, including the first floor where the idol of Raja Ram will be housed along with those of Sita, Laxman and Hanuman.