Lucknow, In a reverent ceremony during the weeklong rituals leading up to the consecration on January 22, the 51-inch idol of infant god Ram, or Ram Lalla, arrived at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The sacred idol, crafted by renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj of Karnataka at the Vivek Srishti Trust, was transported on an open truck to the sanctum sanctorum amid jubilant chants of “Jai Shri Ram” by devoted onlookers. The 10-km journey included a significant stop at the historic Hanuman Garhi temple, where ‘kalash pujan’ was performed on the bank of the Saryu River.
Anil Mishra, member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, participated in the ritual alongside seven women, collecting water from the river to be used in bathing the deity. Additionally, a smaller silver idol of Ram Lalla was paraded around the temple campus for ‘parisar bhraman,’ serving as a substitute for the main idol during Vedic rituals.
Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra announced the completion of the sanctum sanctorum’s construction, detailing the temple’s features, including the ‘garbhagriha’ and five mandaps on the ground floor.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony.