Sun rays will touch the feet of main idol inside sanctum sanctorum: VHP Regional Organising Secretary Gopal

Mysore/Mysuru: The child idol of Lord Rama will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the magnificent Sri Rama Temple currently under construction in Ayodhya from Jan. 15 to 30, 2024, announced Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Regional Organising Secretary Gopal.

He made this announcement during a lecture on the occasion of the 36th Chaturmasya Vrata of Udupi Sri Pejawar Mutt Seer Sri Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swamiji at Sri Krishnadhama on Sahukar Channaiah Road, Saraswathipuram in the city on July 15. Sri Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swamiji graced the occasion.

“At present, more than 1,600 workers are engaged in the construction of the Sri Rama Temple with over 100 engineers supervising the process. An additional 350 people will be added to the workforce to expedite the construction process. The ground floor work has been completed and the fully-fledged Temple will be finished within the next two-and-a-half years. The foundation stone for the Temple was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020,” he said.

The installation ceremony of the child idol of Sri Rama will be held after Sankranti next year, between Jan. 15 and 30. Following the ceremony, devotees will have the opportunity to have the darshan of the Lord. “We have already appealed to the Prime Minister to set in motion the installation ceremony and we will also invite prominent saints and seers from the country,” he added.

“The sanctum sanctorum has been intricately carved with five domes and one Gopuram, standing at a height of 161 ft. It is located in the centre of a three-floor Temple complex. The sanctum sanctorum has been designed in such a way that the Sun rays touch the feet of Sri Rama idol,” he explained.

Gruha, Kirtana, Nritya and Ranga Mantaps have been constructed around the sanctum sanctorum. There will be two idols in the sanctum sanctorum, one of which will be of child Sri Rama. The Temple is being built using a combination of ancient traditional sculpture and modern technology. Larsen and Toubro (L&T) is responsible for the construction of the Temple complex, with Tata Projects                supervising, said Gopal.

Rose-coloured marble from Rajasthan is used for exteriors. “The intricacies of interiors cannot be adequately described in words; one must see the Temple to witness its architectural beauty. The present Temple will be three times larger than the old Sri Rama Temple in Ayodhya, standing at a height of 161 ft. with a width of 235 ft. and length of 360 ft.,” explained Gopal.

He stated that all specifications of Temple Vastu are strictly followed during construction and another main attraction is the mammoth Temple bell, weighing about 21,00 kgs, measuring 6 ft. in length and 5 ft. in width. According to experts, the Temple will remain structurally sound for over a thousand years and withstand any natural calamities.

Three idols, each measuring four and a half feet, are being sculpted by two sculptors from Karnataka and one from Rajasthan. One of these three idols will be selected for installation in the sanctum sanctorum. The sculpting work is expected to be completed by October 2023, Gopal said.