Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Ayodhya Ram Mandir for the grand installation of the statue of Ram Lalla (child form of Lord Ram) in January. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust earlier wrote to the Prime Minister's Office seeking his availability between December and January. On Thursday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the PM Modi will attend the consecration of the idol at the Ram Temple in January.
Earlier this week, the temple authorities said that the construction of the ground floor of the three-storey Ram Mandir is in its final stage. Now, as the temple gears up for the grand installation of the idol in a few months, here's a look at the top features related to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir:
Rocks for idol from Nepal: The idol for the sanctum sanctorum will be built with Shaligrams, a kind of rare rock, brought from Nepal. One of the rock weighs over 26 tonnes and the other weighs 14 tonnes. They were transported from the banks of Kali Gandaki river.
The idols are being made by three sculptors — Ganesh Bhatt and Arun Yogiraj from Karnataka, and Satyanarayan Pandeya From Rajasthan. Lord Ram will be worshipped in the child form (Ram Lalla) at the Ayodhya temple.
Timber from Maharashtra: A large quantity of teak is going to be used for the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The timber has been specially selected from the Allapalli forest in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.
Stones from Rajasthan: The temple of Ramlala is being built with pink stones. These pink stones are being brought from the Bansi Paharpur region of Rajasthan.
Massive manpower: About 1000 laborers are engaged in the construction of Ram Mandir. The massive project is being handled by two construction giants — Tata and L&T.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RAM TEMPLE STATS
· Total Area: 2.7 Acres
· Total Built-up Area: 57,400 Sq. ft.
· Total length of the temple: 360 feet
· Total width of the temple: 235 feet
· Total height of the temple, including the shikhara (or vimana): 161 feet
· Total number of floors: 3
· Height of each floor: 20 feet
· Number of columns in the ground floor of the temple: 160
· Number of columns in the first floor of the temple: 132
· Number of columns in the second floor of the temple: 74
· Number of peaks and pavilions in the temple: 5
· Number of gates in the temple: 12
Apart from the temple premises, the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi pilgrimage region is spread across 70 acres. The pilgrimage region will have the following:
· Shri Ram Kund Yagyashala (Home of Holy Offering)
· Karm Kshetra Anusthaan Mandap (House of holy rituals)
· Hanuman Gadhi Veer Maruti Vishal Pratima (Gigantic Statue of Lord Hanuman)
· Shri Ramlala Purakalik Darshan Mandal Janmbhoomi Sangrahalay (For the display of archaeological & historical relic related to Lord Ram's birthplace)
· Shri Kamm Keerti Satsang Bhavan Sabhagaar (House for discourse and mass prayer)
· Guru Vashishtha Peethika Ved, Puran, Ramayan evam Sanskrit Adhyayan-Anusandhaan Anukshetra (centre of study for research on Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana, and Sanskrit)
· Bhakti Teela Special peace zone for meditation.
· Tulsi Ramlila Centre, a 360-degree open-air theatre.
· Ram Darbaar multifunctional/projection/lecture and communication centre.
· Mata Kaushalya Vatsalya Mandap exhibition hall/tableau complex.
· Ramangan exclusive cinema/television/AV-based show and discourse theatre.
· Ramayana modern AC library and reading room.
· Maharshi Valmiki Archives and Research Centre.
· Ramashrayam multistoried boarding, lodging facility and waiting lounge for outstation devotees.
· Shri Dasharath Adarsh Goshala (shelter for cows).
· Laxman Vatika lily pond and musical fountains.
· Lav Kush Nikunj Activities Area for children.
· Maryada Khand special guests residential area (cottages and multistoried apartments enclave).
· Bharat Prasaad Mandap canopy courts for naivedya/prasaad/bhog (sanctified food offerings) distribution & management, along with sanctified food preparation and storage facility.
· Mata Sita Rasoi Annakshetra - large food shelter for mass feeding facility for devotees along with mega kitchen, large food grain storage, systematic utensil and cutlery storage and hand-washing facilities
· Singhdwar ke Sammukh Deepstambh Lamp tower in front of the Lion Gate Portal
TEMPLE REGION MANAGEMENT FACILITIES
· Multipurpose distribution and operation rooms.
· Bank/ATMs.
· Essential Public Utilities along the path every 15 minutes.
· Emergency medical aid.
· Ramps for elderly devotees to reach the temple.
· Solar energy panel/generator/energy generation centre
· Pilgrims Facility Centre (PFC)
· Administrative offices
· Pilgrim/visitor management system
TEMPLE REGION DEVELOPMENT
· Incremental expansion plan for the next 50 years
· Three-level tree plantation to safeguard the temple and its premises from seasonal dust and storm.
· Security management complex
· Flower garden and plantation based on the concept of astrological constellation
· Vigilance towers along the wall of the temple region, focussing on all possible angles
· Gigantic memorial of martyrs