Anil Kumar Sangal
(By the editor: The consecretion of the Sri Ram temple in Ayodhya, India is an event that has momentus religious / spiritual importance for Hindus world-wide. The crux of all religions and spirituality is faith – faith in one’s heart – of the Supreme Divine Power in any form or name. For Budhists it is the Supreme Rule or Order. There are thousands of names or ways to describe it and still it is undescribale. Apart from this event’s religious / spiritual significance for Hindus, its history of violent struggle and bitter legal contest for its restoration also makes it momentus. Now the temple is being consecreted to Lord Sri Ram on 22nd of Jsnuary, 2024; let us know some facts about its construction and related things):
Chief Architects – Chandrakant Sompura, Nikhil Sompura and Ashish Sompura.
Design Advisors – IIT Guwahati, IIT Chennai, IIT Bombay, NIT Surat, Central Building Research Institute Roorkee, National Geo Research Institute Hyderabad, and the National Institute of Rock Mechanics.
Construction Company – Larsen and Toubro (L&T)Project
Management Company – Tata Consulting Engineers Limited ( TCEL)
Sculptors – Arun Yogiraaj (Mysore), Ganesh Bhatt and Satyanarayan Pandey
Total Area – 70 Acre (70% green Area)
Temple Area – 2.77 Acre
Temple Dimensions – Length – 380 Ft.
Width – 250 Ft. Height – 161 Ft.
Architectural Style – Indian Nagar Style
Architectural Highlights – 3 storeys (floors), 392 pillars, 44 doors
Now let’s see how the temple will be a modern marvel. The temple complex consists of several independent infrastructures of its own, which includes –
- Sewage treatment plant
- water treatment plant
- fire service
- independent power station.
- Pilgrims Facility Centre of 25,000 capacity to provide medical facilities and locker facilities to the pilgrims.
- Separate block with a bathing area, washrooms, washbasin, open taps, etc.
- 200 KA light arresters have been installed over the temple structure to protect it from lightening.
- Museum showcasing artifacts related to Lord Ram and the Ramayana. Thus. more than just a religious center, the Ram Mandir has been envisioned as a cultural and educational center as well.
Other fascinating things include:
- A time capsule has been placed approximately 2,000 feet below the ground, right underneath the temple. The capsule contains a copper plate inscribed with relevant information regarding the Ram Mandir, Lord Rama, and Ayodhya. The purpose of this time capsule is to ensure that the identity of the temple remains intact over time so that it doesn’t get forgotten in the future.
- The temple is an earthquake-resistant structure, with an estimated age of 2500 years.
- The idols are made up of 60 million years old Shaligram Rocks, brought from the Gandaki River (Nepal)
- The Bell is made of Ashtadhatu (Gold, Silver, Copper, Zinc, Lead, Tin, Iron, and Mercury)
The Bell weighs 2100 Kg
The sound of the bell can be heard up to a distance of 15 Km.
And with time to come we will only be mesmerised to see how Sanatana only brings prosperity in the name of religion!