Ram Mandir may open for devotees on Jan 24 next year

Ayodhya: Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is likely to open for devotees on January 24 next year after the consecration of Ram Lalla idol which will be a 10-day ritual starting January 14, chairman of temple construction committee Nripendra Mishra said on Wednesday.

The ground floor work of the three-storey Ram temple has been completed, Mishra said, adding the temple Trust has decided to start the process of the consecration of Ram Lalla on Makar Sankranti (January 14).

"Between January 14 and January 24, a 10-day ritual of Ram Lalla's 'pran pratishtha' (consecration) will be observed," Mishra told reporters here.  The temple Trust has got some auspicious days from astrologers for the consecration process. Sources in the Trust said that the astrologers have given the dates of 21, 22, 24 and 25 January as auspicious days.

The idol of Ram Lalla may be consecrated on January 22, as it is said to be the best date, the sources said.

Authorities of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the consecration ceremony during which the idol of Ram Lalla will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Trust general secretary Champat Rai said that a request letter signed by Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das will be sent to the prime minister.

“As no date has been fixed for the consecration of the idol, the PM will be asked to give his permission regarding any favourable date between December 2023 and January 26, 2024,” Rai told reporters.

Mishra said that the main door of the sanctum sanctorum and the 161 feet high peak of the temple will be covered with gold.

According to Trust general secretary Rai, three sculptors are working on three types of stones to carve idols of Ram Lalla and the most attractive idol will be selected for installation at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Sculptors Ganesh Bhatt and Arun Yogiraj are working on different stones from Karnataka while Satya Narayan Pandey from Rajasthan is working on the best quality Makrana marble.

The three sculptors are working at three different places of Ayodhya under tight security and no outsiders are allowed to enter their workshops, Rai said.