The first photo of the idol of Ram Lalla, which depicts Lord Ram in five-year-old child in a standing posture, was revealed on Thursday, January 18, 2024. The idol was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya, ahead of the grand consecration ceremony which is scheduled for January 22, 2024.
The idol is made from ‘shyamal’ (dark) stone and stands on a lotus, also crafted from the same stone. The idol is 51 inches tall and weighs 150 kg, with a total height of seven feet when measured from the ground. The idol was sculpted by artist Arun Yogiraj of Mysuru.
The placement of the idol was accompanied by the chanting of prayers and rituals, led by 121 acharyas. The idol is covered with a white cloth, which will be removed during the ‘pran pratishtha’ January 22 ceremony, when the deity will be invoked and worshipped.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the public not to visit Ayodhya on January 22; the temple is set to open to the public on January 23. For the inauguration, over 11,000 guests, including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Amitabh Bachchan, have been invited to the ceremony. It was also learnt that PM Modi following strict rituals, including sleeping on the floor and consuming only coconut water, ahead of his participation in the grand event.
The Ram Temple is being built on the site of the demolished Babri Masjid, which was the subject of a long and bitter legal dispute that ended in 2019, when the Supreme Court of India ruled in favour of the Hindu claimants.
The temple construction is expected to be completed by 2025, and will be a symbol of the cultural and religious heritage of India. The temple will also have a museum, a library, a research centre, and a gallery dedicated to the life and teachings of Lord Ram.
The photo of the idol has generated a lot of excitement and curiosity among the devotees and the public, who are eagerly waiting for the opportunity to visit the temple and pay their respects to Ram Lalla.
