No iron used, Rs. 1,800cr spent: Facts about Ram Mandir
On Monday, Ayodhya's Ram Mandir was inaugurated with full fanfare, marking a watershed moment for the entire nation. The ornate temple is designed by celebrated architect Chandrakant B Sompura and his son Ashish. Meanwhile, the temple is designed in the traditional Nagar style. Here's a list of interesting facts about the much-vaunted temple.
392 pillars and 44 doors
The Ayodhya temple has a length of 380 feet and a width of 250 feet. It is 161 feet tall with a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. The first floor of the temple is known as Shri Ram Darbar. There are also five mandaps (halls) in the temple: Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prarthna and Kirtan Mandap.
Temple carved out of pink sandstone
Carved from pink sandstone sourced from Mirzapur, statues of deities adorn the pillars and walls of the temple. The Parkota, a rectangular compound wall with a length of 732 meters and a width of 14 feet, encircles the Mandir. Intrestingly, no iron was used in the construction. Among the amenities, there are ramps and lifts provided for the convenience of differently-abled and elderly individuals.
Ancient temple of Lord Shiva restored
In the southwestern part of the complex lies Kubar Tila, where an ancient temple of Lord Shiva has been restored. It also features an installation of Jatayu. The foundation of the Mandir has been constructed with a 14-meter thick layer. The entire temple compound spans 71 acres and was constructed with an estimated cost of Rs. 1,800 crore.
Devotees can enter the temple after climbing 32 steps
Devotees can access the temple by climbing 32 steps, scaling a height of 16.11 feet. In addition to the shrine of Lord Ram, the complex also accommodates temples dedicated to Maharishi Valmiki, Maharishi Vashishtha, Maharishi Vishwamitra, Maharishi Agastya, Nishad Raj, Mata Shabri, among others. A Pilgrim Facility Centre with a 25,000-people capacity is currently under construction, aiming to provide medical facilities to pilgrims.
