Ram Mandir Ayodhya: From Rath Yatra To Pran Pratishtha; Here Are Lesser Known Facts About Ram Mandir

After an almost 550-year-long wait, the much-awaited 'pran pratishtha' of Ram Lalla idol at the Ram Temple will happen on January 22, 2024.

The date has historical, religious, and political relevance for the devotees of Lord Ram who have been waiting for years for the completion of the Ram Mandir in Ram Janmbhoomi Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), and the families of killed Karsevaks who gathered in Ayodhya on October 30, 1990, to support the Ram temple campaign.

The demand for Ram temple in Ayodhya gained momentum in the 1980s when various right-wing Hindu groups, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), launched campaigns advocating for the construction of grand Ram Temple at a disputed site in Ayodhya where it was claimed that the first Mughal emperor Babar had razed a Hindu temple to construct a mosque over it in the 16th century.

The Supreme Court's verdict in 2019 on the Ayodhya case paved the way for the construction of Ram temple at the disputed site that Hindus believed was the birthplace of Lord Ram. The top court ordered the Centre to set up a trust to oversee the temple construction work. Besides, it also directed the government to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board at a prominent location in Ayodhya for the construction of a mosque.

BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani Advani spearheaded the Ram Janambhoomi movement with Rath Yatra which began on September 25, 1990, and became a defining moment in Indian politics. Now after more than three decades, it will definitely be the emotional moment for LK Advani to see that dream of Ram Temple in Ayodhya coming true.

According to news sources, veteran BJP leader LK Advani will be attending the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Ram Mandir on the same day. The consecration will be followed by a 7-day-long ritual.

Now, as preparations are in full swing in Ayodhya for the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony, here are a few lesser known facts about Ram Temple Ayodhya:

1. The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is going to be the largest temple in the country.
2. The original design for Ram Mandir was planned in 1988 by the Sompura family of Ahmedabad. According to the Sompura Family who designed the temple's structure, the temple's height would be approximately 161 feet along with 28,000 square feet of area.
3. The sacred foundation layout of the Ram Mandir was constructed using the holy soil from 2587 regions.
4. According to news9live, the Ram Mandir has been constructed as per the Vastu Shastra and the Shilpa Shastras. The temple has been designed in the Gujara-Chaulukya style of Northern Indian temple architecture.
5. The temple will have a total of 392 pillars and 44 gates. The main sanctum will house a child form of Lord Shri Ram (deity of Shri Ram Lalla Sarkar), and the first floor will feature Shri Ram Darbar. Entry to the temple will be from the east side, climbing 32 stairs from Singhdwar.
6. Neither iron nor steel has been used to build the temple. To make the temple earthquake-resistant, stone has been used, instead of iron, in building the temple.
7. The estimated cost of the temple's construction is likely to be between Rs 1,400 crore to Rs 1,800 crore.