Arun Yogiraj sculpted Ram Lalla's eyes in just 20 minutes
The recent Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya showcased a captivating idol of Ram Lalla, with eyes that radiated innocence and divinity. The popular sculptor, Arun Yogiraj, shared his experience with WION, revealing that he had only 20 minutes to complete the eyes during an auspicious time, using a golden masonry scissor and a silver hammer.
Yogiraj struggled for 2 months before finally finding inspiration
Sharing with WION, Yogiraj admitted that he struggled with the Ram Lalla idol's face for two months before finding inspiration in photos of Indian children celebrating Diwali in Ayodhya. He recalled, "As soon as I got the idea, I started working on the face." Before carving the eyes, Yogiraj bathed in the Saryu River and performed pooja at Hanuman Garhi and Kanak Bhawan.
It's not easy to bring emotion in a stone: Yogiraj
During a discussion with India Today, Yogiraj said he used to ask his friends if Ram Lalla's eyes looked fine. He added that one needs to invest a lot of time and effort into instilling bhaav (emotion) in a stone. Thus, he made the decision to spend a lot of time with the stone, complete his coursework, observe children's traits, and attribute everything else to Ram Lalla.
Monkey's daily visit during idol-making process
Interestingly, Yogiraj mentioned that a monkey visited his studio daily for nearly a month, observing his work before leaving quietly. The monkey used to visit him daily at the same time between 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Separately, after the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, a monkey entered the Garbhgriha (sanctum sanctorum) and sat there for a few minutes before departing. Yogiraj felt that the idol seemed different after the ceremony, as if it was no longer his creation.
Overcoming hurdles: Rejected sculpture and eye injury
Yogiraj faced numerous challenges while crafting Ram Lalla's idol. Initially overlooked in the selection process, he was called on the final day and chosen among three sculptors. His first idol was rejected after three months due to stone-related technical issues, causing him distress. Additionally, he suffered an eye injury when a small piece of stone penetrated his retina, forcing him to rest for seven days before resuming work.
