Ram Mandir special postage stamp released

New Delhi: The idol of Ram Lalla carved by Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj has been installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ayodhya Ram Temple this morning, ahead of ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony on Jan. 22.

Following this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued commemorative postage stamps honouring the Ram Mandir, as well as a book containing stamps dedicated to Lord Ram from around the world.

The stamp book aims to highlight Lord Ram’s international appeal across various societies. This 48-page book features stamps from over 20 countries, including the United States, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, Cambodia and organisations such as the United Nations.

The stamps’ design incorporates all of the key components associated with Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, including the Temple itself, the Sun, the Sarayu River, the Temple’s sculptures and the venerated Chaupai (poem) “Mangal Bhavan Amangal Hari.”

The stamp collection has six different stamps, all of which have important characters and symbols from Lord Ram’s story.

The six stamps in this collection depict vital characters and elements from the Ramayana. Some examples are Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman, Ma Shabri, Kevatraj, Jatayu and the Ram Temple. According to officials, every stamp is elegantly embellished with a gold leaf depicting sun rays and the Chaupai, giving the miniature sheet grandeur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Today, I got the opportunity to attend another event organised by Shri Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha Abhiyan. Today, six Commemorative Postage Stamps on Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir and an album of stamps issued on Lord Ram around the world have been released. I want to congratulate the people of the country and all Ram Bhakts across the world.”

Last evening, the idol of Ram Lalla was lifted using a crane to place it in the sanctum sanctorum where it will be installed ahead of ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony.

The idol, carved in black stone by Arun Yogiraj and weighing around 150-200 kg, was lifted by a crane from the truck that reached the temple along with a procession in the evening. The procession also stopped briefly at the Hanumangarhi Temple in Ayodhya in a symbolic halt. Mysuru Sculptor Arun Yogiraj too was present, guiding the process. 

Later, an image showed the idol being placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple as the workers looked on. A special puja was held in the sanctum sanctorum before the idol was brought inside. The idol was installed in the sanctum sanctorum today, said Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairperson Nripendra Mishra.

Meanwhile, a silver idol of Ram Lalla (not the same installed in the sanctum sanctorum) garlanded with roses and marigolds toured the premises of Ram Temple last evening. A ‘Kalash Pujan’ was held as part of rituals being performed in the run-up to the Jan. 22 event.