Consecration of Ram Temple at Ayodhya on January 22 is going to be a Red Letter Day in the history of India-Puri
Jaswant Singh Puri/ January 20,2024
A day of longings is over since Ram Janam Bhumi Ayodhya is going to get lit with lights of happiness as the most awaited Ram Temple Ayodhya is getting the final touches. Infact, temples are not merely a site of worship.These create, evoke and disseminate value-based memories for societies and communities.
Ayodhya is the birth place of Shri Rama who is one of the deities not only of the Hindus but all the communities. The temple was being awaited for hundreds of years due to the clash with Babri mosque. However, by the will of god, the Supreme Court of India passed the judgement in favour of the temple. However, the history of the Ayodhya Ram Temple speaks of deep devotion, controversy and resilience that spans centuries. The original temple dedicated to Rama is said to have been constructed in the twelfth century under the patronage of King Dashrath, according to historical records. The construction of the Babri Mosque in the sixteenth century led to a long religious and legal dispute. It was a historic judgement by the Supreme Court of India favoring the construction of Ram Temple at the disputed site. The foundation stone for the Ayodhya Ram Temple was laid in a grand ceremony. It signifies the culmination of a new era in Ayodhya’s history. The responsibility for constructing this splendid and gorgeous temple lies with Larsen and Toubro Group. The temple is being constructed with meticulous attention in detail combining traditional and contemporary architectural features. It is designed in the Nagara Style which is featured by its tall and curvilinear ‘Shikharas’. The ‘Shikharas’ are adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures.
The temple includes a spacious hall and sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha) which is the sacred part of the temple. The construction material of marble and red sandstone promotes the aesthetic grace of the temple. The design of the temple adheres to the principles of ‘VastuShastra’ which is an architectural science to harmonise the energy of the temple and align it with cosmic principles. The temple will feature lovely and magnificently landscaped gardens to impart a serene environment for devotees and visitors.
The Bhumi Pujan for the commencement of the construction of Ram Temple was performed on 5th August, 2020 by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Shri Ram Janam Bhumi Teerth Kshetra Trust is supervising the construction. The consecration will be held on 22January,2024.
LK Advani in his article ‘Ram Mandir Nirman, Ek Divya Swapna Ki Purti ’refers to the Rath Yatra he took out 33 years ago for Ram Temple construction. Over 7000 individuals have been invited and 4000 seers from across the nation and dignitaries from foreign countries.
The temple will be 250 feet wide, 380 feet long and 161 feet high. The building will have a total of 366 columns with sixteen idols each to include the incarnation of Shiva, the 10 Dashavataras, the 64 Yoginis and the 16 incarnations of the goddess Saraswati. The Sanctum Santorum is octagonal. The temple is being built in 10 acres and 57 acres of land is being covered into a complex with a prayer hall, a lecture hall, an educational facility along with a museum and a cafeteria.
The ‘Ramayana’ composed by sage Valmiki is an epic scripture that emphasis so many lessons as given below:
- Valueunityandrelationshipmorethangreed,prideandpower.KingDashratha had three wives and four sons and all of them loved each other immensely.
- Embrace all irrespective of caste, creed or colour. Rama readily ate the fruits nibbled by Shabari, a poor old woman.
- Stay away from negative people. Manthara convinced Kaikeyi to send Ramainto exile and insisted on Bharat being crowned as the king.
- Forgiveness triumphs revenge. Lord Rama and Sita granted forgiveness to Kaikeyi, Rama’s stepmother.
- No matter how bad the circumstances be in life, good will always prevail over evil. In the end Lord Rama wins the battle and rescues Sita from the haughty
C Rajagopalachari endeavored to express his exquisite views on ‘The Ramayana’epic that will live in all the tongues of people. Even Bernard Shaw has accepted the essential myths which cannot be dispensed with mythology. Mythology and holy figures are necessary for any great culture. Romesh Dutt a member of Indian Civil Service also translated ‘The Ramayana’ in verse form wherein he states in ‘Introduction’ that ‘it is one of the oldest literary texts in the country and surprises all by its enduring popularity’.
Above all, the Ramayana is a celebration of emotional ideals. The story of Rama has inspired our religious reformers, and purified the popular faith of our modern times. ‘The Ramayana’ embodies the domestic and religious life of ancient India.
Ramanand Sagar’s TV serial ‘Ramayana’ won abundance of popularity throughout the nation and other countries. LKAdvani and his party also aggressively propagated the idea of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya due to the TV serial.
The managing Principal of CP Kukreja Architects remarks with full zeal and zest: “Ayodhya is anticipated to become a global tourism destination with a focus on spiritual, cultural, heritage assets and events as the city is likely to grow manifold with a significant demand in hospitality and allied industries.” Ayodhya has been redeveloped after studying global examples.
Devotees will be allowed to visit the shrinefrom January 23. The architect behind the temple Chandrakant Sompura revealed that he has been involved with the temple project for the last many years.
The temple stands both for progress in terms of revenue generation and employment along with heritage and ageless tradition.Ayodhya will be turned into a global hub of spiritual and heritage tourism with the revamped Maharishi Valmiki International Airport. It will not only attract millions who belong to the great Indian Diaspora but also the people of all nationalities and creeds who love to adopt disciplines like yoga and meditation.
The influx of investment and tourism will generate thousands of jobs in hotel and restaurant staffs, transport operators, tour guides etc. The glamour, grandeur and social media have dispelled the shadows of the temple’s past. The places have been decorated with paintings which are a part of the themes based on Lanka Kand and Uttar Kand of the Ramayana.
Note: The views expressed are personal.This article is dedicated to Smt. Alka Puri, wife of Dr. Ajit Singh Puri mother of Jaswant Singh Puri.
