Ram temple in Ayodhya: Bricks donated in 1980s likely to be preserved, displayed
About 3.5 lakh bricks were collected by VHP during its Ram temple movement, including shiladan, between 1987 and 1989, and two lakh of them are lying under a shed in Ayodhya
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is likely to preserve and display shilas (bricks) donated during the Ram Mandir movement by devotees for the construction of the Ram temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.
Around two lakh bricks are lying underneath a tin shed at Ramghat workshop in Ayodhya. These bricks were collected by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) during its Ram Mandir movement, including shiladan, between 1987 and 1989.
Around 3.5 lakh bricks were collected in this movement. Some bricks were used in the shila pujan in Ayodhya carried out after the nationwide shila pujan campaign in 1989.
Around 50,000 bricks were used to construct a scaffold in 1992 near the then disputed site at Ram Janmabhoomi. Now, around two lakh bricks are left.
The Supreme Court had ruled in favour of Ram temple on November 9, 2019, ending the decades old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute.
According to Champat Rai, general secretary of the Trust, optimum use of these bricks will be made.
However, it is not clear how this will be done.
The Trust has already made it clear that bricks will not be used in construction of the Ram temple as they are not durable and their longevity cannot be guaranteed.
According to a member of the Trust, these bricks will be preserved and displayed at the Ram Janmabhoomi after the construction of Ram Mandir is over.
“Bricks will not be used in construction of Ram Mandir as they are not durable. But the shilas (bricks) donated by devotees during the Ram Mandir movement are of immense importance for us. They are likely to be preserved and displayed at Ram Janmabhoomi,” said the Trust member.
The shila pujan was carried out not only in villages across India, but also in about 55 countries from where the shilas were sent to Ayodhya. These countries include Suriname, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United States, Bangladesh, Canada, Myanmar and Germany, among other nations.
These bricks have the words “Sri Ram” inscribed on them in the languages of their respective countries.
The Ram temple’s foundation work has been completed in Ayodhya and the next phase of the construction work will start soon.
Larsen and Toubro is carrying out the construction and Tata Consulting Engineers is the project management consultant.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the bhoomi pujan of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5, 2020.
Apart from the temple, a total of 124 projects worth ₹20,107 crore are underway for the development of Ayodhya and 79 of them will be completed by December 15 this year.
