In Explainers: Who designed Ayodhya’s Ram temple? Who sculpted the idol?

It’s the eve of the grand opening of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. It’s a big moment for India and for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled the promise he made to the voters in an important year for Indian politics – the country picks its next leader in a few months from now.

But for now, the focus is on Lord Ram, the temple and Ayodhya. India is gearing up for the festivities – people will light up their homes with Ram Jyoti. It’ll be a lot like a Diwali.

With less than 24 hours before the “pran pratishtha”, here’s everything you need to know about the temple, its making and more.

1. 22 January will go down in history. It’s a day we will remember for years to come. But why was this date picked for the consecration of the Ram mandir? Yes, it’s auspicious. Here’s why.

2. The most important moment of the opening of the Ram temple is the “pran prathistha” ceremony. It will begin at 12.20 pm on Monday and is expected to end at 1 pm. In this, Hindu ritual, the deity is “brought to life”. It can then accept prayers and grant boons to worshippers.

3. The Ram temple will be like no other. The three-storey shrine is built in Nagara style, which has its roots in North India. The high pyramid-shaped Shikhara towers in the temples are topped with a kalash. No iron has been used for construction. We give you a sneak peek into what the temple will look like.

4. It is grand and it is gorgeous. It is resistant to flood and earthquakes and will reportedly not require any repairs for at least 1,000 years, But wonder who designed the temple. The chief architect behind the mandir is Ahmedabad-based Chandrakant Sompura. He started working on it about 32 years ago. This is his story and how he bagged one of the most challenging works of his career.

The Ram temple is designed by Ahmedabad-based Chandrakant Sompura. PTI

5. From the temple, we move to the idol. Ram Lalla was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday amid chants of hymns. The idol is made out of black stone and depicts the deity as a five-year-old child. It was designed by Arun Yogiraj, a renowned sculptor from Karnataka. The artist also created the Netaji statue at India Gate and the Adi Shankaracharya statue in Uttarakhand.

6. The opening of the temple will be steeped in rituals. PM Modi is following some of them. He is observing an 11-day anushthan, which started on 12 January. It includes strict penance, purification of mind and body through meditation and following a “Satvik” diet. We explain more in this story.

7. The invite to one of the biggest events of the year is much sought-after. The prime minister, of course, will be there. Several famous people will be descending upon Ayodhya on Monday. There will be spiritual leaders, businesspersons, movie stars, sports personalities and more. Who is invited, who is not? Take a look.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released commemorative postage stamps on Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and a book of stamps issued on Lord Ram around the world, in New Delhi, on 18 January. PTI

8. For Ayodhya, the Ram temple is a boon. It has transformed the spiritual city. It’s now got an international airport and soon luxury hotels will follow. Builders all have their eyes set on the city. The mandir will be open to devotees and a tourism boost is on the cards. In this piece, we take a look at how Ayodhya is readying for the big changes.

9. People across India have been waiting for the temple to come up. The excitement is palpable. But eager devotees are also being tricked by scammers – some promising VIP tickets to the opening and others offering prasad by just paying for shipping. Cybercriminals are lurking everywhere. We tell you what you need to watch out for.

Devotees from Nepal dressed as Hindu deities, ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, in Ayodhya. PTI

10. Wonder why there is a langar in Ayodhya on the day of the consecration. What is the connection of the Sikh community to the Ram Janmabhoomi?

History books tell us that Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, visited the site of Ayodhya in 1510-11 AD. Babri Masjid was not constructed at the time. Even the Supreme Court took note of this visit in its verdict on the site.

Centuries later, in November 1858, Nihang Baba Fakir Singh Khalsa barged into Babri Masjid and erected a symbol of ‘Sri Bhagwan‘ (Lord Ram) inside the mosque, writing ‘Ram Ram’ on its walls. So did the Nihang Sikhs start the temple movement? We explain.

This reading list will get you up-to-date ahead of the temple opening. We will continue our coverage of the inauguration. Watch this space for more.

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