Ayodhya's Ram Lalla idol to be known by this name
What's the story
The new Ram Lalla idol, consecrated on Monday at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, will be known as "Balak Ram." The 51-inch idol portrays Lord Ram as a five-year-old boy in a standing posture. "The reason for naming the idol of Lord Ram as 'Balak Ram' is that he resembles a child, whose age is five years," Arun Dixit, a priest associated with the consecration ceremony, told PTI.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The Pran Prathishtha (consecration) ceremony of the new idol was held on Monday, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM said the consecration marked the advent of a new era. The old idol of Ram Lalla, which was earlier kept in a makeshift shrine, has been placed in front of the new idol. The consecration ceremony was viewed live by millions of Hindus in India and abroad.
Details
Idol crafted from 2.5-billion-year-old stone
The idol of "Balak Ram" was crafted by Karnataka-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj. According to reports, it was carved out of a 2.5-billion-year-old stone Krishna Shile (black schist), found in Gujjegowdanapura, Mysuru. Director of the National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM), Bengaluru, HS Venkatesh also confirmed that the stone is 2.5 billion years old. NIRM was the national facility that helped in testing the stone using physico-mechanical analysis
What Next?
Ornaments and garments inspired by ancient texts
The new Ram Lalla idol has been adorned by various ornaments. According to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the idol's ornaments were designed after extensive research of texts like the Adhyatma Ramayana, Valmiki Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas, and Alavandar Stotram. The idol is dressed in Banarasi fabric with a yellow dhoti and red pataka or angavastram. The angavastram is embellished with pure gold zari. Lucknow's Harsahaimal Shiamlal Jewellers crafted the ornaments, while Delhi-based textile designer Manish Tripathi designed the garments.
Twitter Post
The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled ahead of consecration ceremony
जो आनंद सिंधु सुखरासी।
— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) January 22, 2024
सीकर तें त्रैलोक सुपासी॥ pic.twitter.com/m48Pe2vUQ3
Insights
3 sculptors crafted idols for the Ram Mandir
According to the temple trust, three idols were made for the grand temple. Three sculptors - Ganesh Bhatt, Arun Yogiraj, and Satyanarayan Pandey - have crafted the idols, the trust said. Yogiraj's Balak Ram statue is installed in the sanctum sanctorum, while, the remaining two idols will be exhibited in different sections of the Ram Mandir.
Ayodhya
392 pillars, 44 doors in the grand Ram Mandir
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 Mandap and Kirtan Mandap.