 "Ayodhya Ram mandir: Ram Lalla idol brought inside sanctum sanctorum")
Ram mandir updates: The idol of Ram Lalla was taken into the Ram temple premises in Ayodhya Wednesday night with the help of a crane. The idol was brought inside the sanctum sanctorum in the early hours of Thursday and will be installed later in the day.
A special puja was also held in the sanctum sanctorum before bringing the deity's idol in, using a crane.
Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee chairperson Nripendra Mishra earlier noted that the idol will likely be installed in the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.
Preparations were in full motion in Ayodhya yesterday as a flower-adorned truck brought in Lord Ram's idol. The idol was carried inside the temple amid chants of "Jai Shri Ram".
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Sculptor Arun Yogiraj's Ram Lalla idol selected
The 51-inch-tall idol, created by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj, was selected by the Ayodhya Temple trust for the Pran Pratishtha at the temple.
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To sculpt the idol, Yogiraj used a Krishna Shila (black stone) from Karnataka. Experts believe that the most appealing and durable sculptures are made using Krishna Shila, which can be found in the areas surrounding Karkala, a small town in Karnataka.
"Arun's idol depicts a balswaroop [infant] Ram, a five-year-old, standing on a lotus, carrying a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. Besides, the statue also has fine carvings and designs. All signs related to Lord Ram are carved on the statue which is 51 inches tall. It's the finest work that can ever be done," said one of the temple trust officials.
"The stone, weighing 10 tonnes, six feet wide, four feet thick and almost one foot long, was specially brought from Nellikaru village in Karkala, almost a month ago," another official had said.
Sculptor Arun Yogiraj with idol of Ram Lalla (Photo: Twitter/@JoshiPralhad)
Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya Ram temple
On January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the consecration ceremony of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. The event's preparations are nearing completion, and several VVIP guests from India and abroad have been invited to attend the ceremony.
The Vedic rituals have already commenced. Varanasi priest Lakshmi Kant Dixit will perform the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22.
A 1008 Hundi Mahayagya will also be organised, in which thousands of devotees will be fed. Several tent cities are being built in Ayodhya to house lakhs of worshipers.
According to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, arrangements will be made for 10,000-15,000 people.
Local officials are also preparing for the expected influx of visitors surrounding the grand ceremony, establishing enhanced security measures and making logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually rewarding experience for all attendees.