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Ram Temple sanctum sanctorum likely to be built by end of the year
According to a functionary aware of the details, the construction work on the ground floor is nearly complete
New Delhi/Lucknow The construction of the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is expected to be completed by the end of the year, temple authorities said on Monday, adding that the inauguration of the grand structure may take place in January next year on a date that is yet to be finalised.
The statement came even as the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust – which is overseeing the construction of the temple – said that it sent an invitation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opening ceremony, suggesting three auspicious dates for the event. The three auspicious dates shortlisted after consulting astrologers are likely between January 17 and 24, said people aware of the matter. The trust did not disclose the specific dates to the media.
“The trust had committed to the devotees that the ground floor will be completed by December 2023. It is hoped that the commitment will be fulfilled accordingly for the devotees would have the opportunity to have darshan (visit) of Ram Lala sometime from January 2024,” said Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee.
According to a functionary aware of the details, the construction work on the ground floor is nearly complete.
“The civil works are over and finishing touches are now being given, we expect the ground floor that has the sanctum sanctorum with the idol of Ram Lala to be completely ready for inauguration by the end of this year. The formal pran pratishtha of the idol will be carried out in January,” the functionary said, requesting anonymity.
The construction started in August 2020 and is being monitored daily by senior functionaries. It was recently reviewed by a team led by Misra and included members from the engineering teams of Larsen and Toubro, Tata Tata Consulting Engineers and the trust.
“A letter signed by (trust chairman) Mahant Nritya Gopal Das has been sent to PM Narendra Modi, inviting him for the pran pratishtha (idol consecration) of Ram Lalla at the garbha griha (sanctum-sanctorum) of the Ram temple,” said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, the designated successor of Mahant Nritya Gopal.
According to the functionary cited above, after the completion of the temple’s foundation, raft and plinth, work related to the placement of stone procured from mines in the Bansi Paharpur area of Rajasthan is in full swing.
“Apart from the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum), the temple has five mandaps – gudh mandap, rang mandap, nritya mandap, prathana mandap and kirtan mandap. The dome size of the five mandaps are 34 feet wide and 32 feet long, and the height from courtyard ranges between 69 feet to 111 feet,” the functionary said.
The temple’s foundation was laid in an elaborate ceremony presided over by Modi on August 5, 2020. As per the details provided by the construction committee, the temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet in width and 161 feet high from the courtyard. The sanctum sanctorum is spread over 20 feet. “There will be 46 teakwood doors of the temple and the door of the sanctum sanctorum will be gilded with gold. This process will begin by the end of June,” the functionary quoted above said.
“The construction work on infrastructure buildings is also in full swing and expected to be complete by October 2023. The ancient Kuber Tila with Shiva temple and the proposed Jatayu idol will also attract devotees once completed,” the functionary added.
The Trust is planning to organise a mega Ayodhya pran pratishtha between January 17 and 24, said people aware of the developments. During the event, the idol of Ram Lalla will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum and, thereafter, the temple will be opened for devotees.
On May 31, the board of trustees of the trust decided to send the invite to Modi for the ceremony.
