The map prepared by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad around three decades ago for building a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya could be altered to raise the height of the proposed structure from 125 feet to 160 feet and add an additional third floor, temple trust sources said.
On Thursday, members of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust including general secretary Champat Rai, Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra and Anil Mishra met Nripendra Mishra, the head of the temple construction committee, during which they discussed various issues related to the construction of the proposed temple.
According to a Trustee, Nripendra Mishra will hold discussions with experts and other concerned groups to finalise the temple's design, a plan for all construction-related works and to decide when the construction will be started.
According to sources, the VHP, however, wants the temple to be built on the basis of the old map itself as making changes to the proposed monument's plan at this stage would delay the construction process.
"The temple will be built on the bases of the VHP's map. There can be changes to its proposed shape and scale," Swami Govind Dev Giri, a member of the Trust, told PTI.
Another member of the Trust said, "We have received suggestions to make changes to the old map in order to give an ever grander form to the proposed temple. Now, we are brainstorming on building a three-storey structure instead of the two stories proposed earlier, as well as adding a pavilion and detailing to the 35-feet-high 'shikhar'".
The height of the proposed temple could also be increased to 160 feet from 125 feet decided earlier by the VHP, he said.
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In 1987, craftsman Chandrakant Sompura had prepared a model of the proposed temple based on the VHP's map after being asked by VHP international president Ashok Singhal.
The proposed Ram temple will be built in Lord Vishnu's favourite octagonal shape and its structure will be made completely with stone without the use of iron in the elevation.
Approximately 1.75 lakh cubic feet stone will be required to build the temple. The temple construction work can take over three years, the sources said.
The VHP's map proposes the temple to have a length of 270 feet, breadth of 135 feet and height of 125 feet. Every floor will have 106 pillars and will be supported by 185 beams. The temple doors will be made of wood and will be attached to marble frames.
While the ground floor will have a Ram idol, the first floor will house a Ram Darbar. There will also be a garbha graha (sanctum sanctorium) with a sitting area for the priests. The temple will have five entrances -- the Sinh Dwar and at the Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, pooja kaksh (prayer area) and garbh graha (sanctum sanctorum).