E-Paper
‘Temple trust to convert Ram Katha Sangrahalaya into int’l museum’
The Ram Mandir Construction Committee on Sunday decided to complete the international museum project in Ayodhya in the next one year
The Ram Mandir Construction Committee on Sunday decided to complete the international museum project in Ayodhya in the next one year. The existing Ram Katha Sangrahalaya in Ayodhya will be converted into an international museum.
Initially, the Trust had planned a museum on the Ram Janmabhoomi campus along with the Ram Mandir. However, due to security reasons, the plan was dropped.
According to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust, the artifacts recovered when foundation of the temple was being laid in August 2020 and other essentials related with Ramayana will be displayed in the museum.
“The international museum will come up at the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya in the next one year,” said Nripendra Misra, chairman, Ram Mandir Construction Committee on Sunday. “Experts from the Prime Ministers’ Museum will also guide the Trust on what could be displayed in the Ayodhya museum,” said a member of the Trust.
The Ramkatha Sangrahalaya was constructed in 2015 with a budget of ₹12.31 crore by the Uttar Pradesh government. The one-floor building is spread in three-acre land and has 18 rooms.
The state government and the Trust had signed a memorandum of understanding in October this year for the handover of the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya to the Trust.
Nripendra Misra met Karnataka sculptor Ganesh Bhatt who is chiseling an idol of Ram Lalla. He is among the three sculptors who are carving idols of Ram Lalla.
The other two are Arun Yogiraj from Karnataka and Satya Narayan Pandey from Rajasthan. All of them are chiseling the idols in Ayodhya at separate locations, which have been kept out of bounds of public.
According to people familiar with the matter, the Trust has almost finalised the idol for the sanctum-sanctorum of Ram Mandir. “Ram Lalla’s idol has almost been finalised by the Trust. The selected idol will be enthroned at the Ram Mandir’s sanctum-sanctorum. Only official announcement from saints has to be made,” said a member of the Trust.
All three idols of Ram Lalla are based on the sketch presented to the Trust by Mumbai-based renowned artist Vasudeo Kamath. “Ram Lalla’s 51-inch idol which is aesthetically closer to the deity will be selected,” Kameshwar Choupal, a member of the Trust, said.
