On a momentous occasion, the long-awaited Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla unfolded in Ayodhya on Monday. Approximately 7,000 VVIPs from throughout the country attended this magnificent event, including politicians, businesspeople, athletes, and actresses. Along with other dignitaries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat attended the significant ceremony. Army helicopters showered the temple grounds with flower petals to commemorate the dedication.
The highlight of Ram Mandir was Lord Ram’s 51-inch-tall idol made from a single block of stone
Arun Yogiraj, a talented sculptor from Mysuru, painstakingly crafted an idol depicting a five-year-old Lord Ram standing on a lotus.
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The Ram Mandir complex is built in the traditional Nagara architectural style. Its dimensions are 250 feet wide and 161 feet high, and it extends 380 feet east-west. Its construction is made up of levels that are 20 feet high, each held up by an amazing group of 392 pillars and 44 gates.
A day later, the public is expected to be able to visit the temple of Lord Rama. However, amid all this, some devotees were left thinking about the absence of other revered figures of Ramayana. They noticed that there were no idols of Sita, Lakshman, or Hanuman inside the temple during Pran Pratishtha event. It is because these characters were a major part of Lord Rama’s life, especially his wife, goddess Sita.
In the Ramayana, Sita’s presence is inextricably linked to Lord Rama’s magnificence, and their heavenly bond serves as the narrative’s central theme. Observing the event on TV, followers, who were aware of the great importance of Sita’s part, began to wonder why her idol was not present in the sanctum sanctorum with Rama. The ‘Jai Siya Ram’ greeting, symbolizing the unbreakable link between Rama and Sita, emphasizes even more how significant Sita’s divine presence is in the hearts of her followers.
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However, not many know that there is Sita’s idol in the temple. It’s just that not many know much about its location in the temple.
Where is Mata Sita’s idol in the Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir inner sanctum sanctorum?
During a press conference, Sharda Nandan Giri of Juna Akhara in Maharashtra hinted at a possible development, stating,
“The installation of the idol of Ram Lalla is underway in the sanctum sanctorum of the newly constructed Ram Janmabhoomi temple. Notably, the temple is planned to feature an idol of Lord Ram alongside Sita.”
According to emerging sources, the plan is to have the statue of Ram on the bottom level of the temple. Additionally, the idols of Ram’s brothers, Hanuman and Sita, on the first floor of the opulent building. It is projected that this additional installation might take an additional eight months to finish.
Why are the idols of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita not placed together?
As per Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust, the upcoming Ram idol in the temple will embody Lord Rama in the form of a 5-year-old child. He explained,
“Ram was born in Ayodhya, therefore the name Ram Janmabhoomi… The 51-inch tall Ram idol is made from black stone and depicts the deity as a five-year-old child in a standing posture.”
Due to the specific depiction of a young Lord Rama, there won’t be a provision for placing the idol of Sita in the sanctum sanctorum. This decision aligns with the mythological narrative that Sita married Ram when he was 27 years old.
भए प्रगट कृपाला! pic.twitter.com/ARbwzYZ2SF
— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) January 22, 2024
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