One month is left for the consecration of the idol of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya. There is curiosity in everyone’s mind that what will the idol of Lord Ram be like? How is the temple built? What is the speciality? Bhaskar’s Sanket Thakar took answers to similar questions from Chandrakant Sompura. Sompura has prepared the complete design of Shri Ram temple of Ayodhya. The entire construction is being done under his supervision. Read in his own words…
Chandrakant Sompura said- The temple is ready for consecration. The seat in the sanctum sanctorum has also taken shape, where Ramlala will sit. We are making three statues of 5.5 feet each. One of black colour, the other of dark black Shaligram stone and the third of white stone. The temple trust will decide on one of these idols on December 29. It will be his life and prestige.
As soon as you come out of the sanctum sanctorum, the idols of Ganapati and Hanumanji will be installed in front. The idol of Garudji is being installed in front of the temple. Pran-Pratishtha will take place on the second floor of the temple. Ram Darbar has also been built here. There will be idols of Lord Shri Ram, Mother Janaki, Laxmanji and Hanumanji. Sompura told – the construction of the temple had started during the Ayodhya movement.
Chandrakant Sompura said, ‘The construction of the temple was started 34 years ago in 1989. The Ayodhya movement had just started then. DD Birlaji told me to go to Ayodhya with Ashok Singhal and bring the measurements of the place where the temple is to be built. There, due to court restrictions, the government could not use the tape measure, so measurements were taken with steps. Covered the place in total 82 steps.
‘After a few years, the map was prepared and the design was finalized based on the measurements of the steps. In Prayagraj Kumbh, a wooden model was made with the approval of the saints, which remained the symbol of Ram temple for years. After the Supreme Court decision in 2019, many changes took place in it. The height also increased from 128 to 161 feet. When the temple construction started, the budget was Rs 400 crore. Now Rs 2 thousand crores will be spent on the temple and corridor. There will be expenses.’Somnath temple was designed by Chandrakant’s father.
The Sompura family has been doing temple design work for 18 generations. Chandrakant Sompura and his son Ashish have designed 31 temples in the country and abroad. Somnath temple, included in the 12 Jyotirlingas, and Ambaji temple, included in the 51 Shaktipeeths, were designed by Chandrakant’s father Prabhashankar Sompura. Chandrakant’s grandfather Ramjibhai had designed the Palitana temple in Gujarat. A gate of the temple is also known by his name.
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Ramlala’s life consecration in Ayodhya… Grand ritual after 1500 years: Such worship was not done after King Harshvardhan; Ram will sit after chanting mantras for 60 hours. Lord Shri Ram is going to be consecrated in the Ramlala temple of Ayodhya on 22 January 2024. It will be India’s largest religious observance with 121 Vedic and ritualistic Brahmins. A team of 50 Brahmins under the leadership of Pandit Laxmikant Mathuradas Dixit of Kashi will stay in Ayodhya from 16 to 22 January. Before the consecration, there will be yagya, havan, recitation of 4 Vedas and recitation of rituals for a total of 60 hours.
