Ayodhya Ram Mandir: 20 fascinating facts!!

On January 23, the Ayodhya Ram Mandir opens to the public. In the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the idol of Ram Lalla was placed in the temple’s sanctum sanctorum (garbha-griha) on January 22 at the Pran-Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and other dignitaries, presided over the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at the newly-built Ayodhya Ram Mandir on Monday. For one of the oldest religions in the world, the consecration event, or Pran Pratishtha, signalled the end of a 500-year search for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. Plan your Trip to Ayodhya Ram Mandir and Read More with us on Trip Adventurer!!

These are twenty fascinating facts about the recently constructed Ayodhya Ram Mandir, which will welcome worshippers on January 23:

1. The 3-storey Mandir is built in the traditional Nagara style Pink sandstone from Mirzapur and the hills of Bansi-Paharpur area in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan have been used in the construction of the temple.
2. With a total area of 71 acres, it was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore. There are 161 feet of height and 250 feet of width overall.
3. 2.67 acres make up the main temple area. The temple features five mandaps, 46 doors, and 390 pillars.
4. There are idols of Ram Lalla in the major Garbh Griha (sanctum sanctorum; see photo below). There are several mandaps in the temple, such as the Rang and Nritya mandaps.
5. After ascending 32 stairs and reaching a height of 16.11 feet above the earth, devotees will pass through Singh Dwar to reach the shrine.
6. The sanctum sanctorum and five mandaps are on the ground floor. Ram Darbar will be on the first floor. Plans are still not final for the second floor.
7. For the aged and disabled, there are lifts and ramps available.
8. In later stages, the Mandir complex will also include temples honouring, among others, Maharshi Valmiki, Maharshi Vashishtha, Maharshi Vishwamitra, Maharshi Agastya, Nishad Raj, and Mata Shabri.
9. Granite has been used to build a 21-foot-tall plinth that will protect against ground dampness.
10. A 25,000-person Pilgrim Facility Center (PFC) is currently under construction. It will give pilgrims access to dressing rooms and medical care.
11. Additionally, there will be a separate block in the complex with a swimming area, restrooms, washbasins, etc.
12. For the protection of Ram Mandir, artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring that is ready for the future is probably going to be implemented. Following the consecration event, there should be a noticeable increase in pilgrim foot traffic.
13. Using traditional and indigenous technology, the mandir is being built with a focus on environmental and water conservation. Approximately 70% of the 71-acre plot has been left as green space.
14. Every one of the 390 pillars is decorated with 16–28 god idols. There will also be legendary figure sculptures on the walls.
15. To keep things consistent, only one artisan is carving each pillar. Odisha workers are carving the pillars, and Rajasthani artisans are working on the walls and floors made of marble.
16. Every Ram Navami, at noon, a system of mirrors and lenses will direct the sun’s beams onto the idol of Ram Lalla. The first time this kind of solar anointing will take place is on March 29, Ram Navami. Brass is used instead of iron or steel in this mechanical system, which doesn’t require energy or batteries.
17. Arun Yogiraj, a Mysuru sculptor, created the idol of five-year-old Ram Lalla, which is currently housed in the “Garbh Griha.” At 51 inches tall, the idol is. Today was the ceremony for its consecration.
18. When a team from Sri Lanka came to Ayodhya, they gave a rock from the famous Ashok Vatika, the garden in Ravan’s realm where Sita was imprisoned.
19. The temple was built without the use of any iron. The temple is made to endure for a millennium or more.
20. Parkota is a rectangular parikrama that encircles the temple. On the edge of the Parkota are four temples dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati, Lord Shiva, Lord Surya, and Lord Ganesha. One temple is dedicated to Maa Annapurna on the northern arm and one to Lord Hanuman on the southern arm.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Background

The Ayodhya Ram Mandir, one of the largest temples constructed in India following independence, is hailed for fusing traditional Indian customs with cutting-edge technology.

The Mughal monarch Babur erected the Babri Masjid between 1528 and 1529. On the other hand, Hindus also claimed ownership of the location, stating that it was Lord Ram’s birthplace. After that, the location became contested, and a protracted legal conflict started. On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court resolved the title dispute by recognizing the 2.77 acres of contested land as Lord Ram’s birthplace, opening the door for the Ram Mandir’s construction.

Important Facts: Ayodhya Ram Mandir

Ayodhya Ram Mandir foundation stone-laying ceremony

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted the Bhumi Poojan ceremony of Ayodhya Ram Mandir and set the temple’s foundation stone on August 5, 2020, following the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Area & Capacity of Ayodhya Ram Mandir 

The temple space is 54,700 square feet or around 2.7 acres of land. With a total area of around 70 acres, the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Complex would have enough space to accommodate one million worshippers at a time.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Agency overseeing construction

The construction of the temple is being overseen by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Ayodhya Mandir: Estimated cost and funding

It is estimated that the temple’s construction will cost between Rs. 1,400 crore and Rs. 1,800 crore. According to representatives of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Nyas, the temple trust is getting donations worth Rs 60–70 lakh for the construction of the magnificent temple.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Building Material

The temple’s foundation is made of 14 meters of thick roller-compacted concrete (RCC), which gives the structure the appearance of man-made rock.  There is not a single iron utilised in the building. Granite has been used to build a 21-foot-tall plinth that will protect against ground dampness.

Pure white Rajasthan Makrana marble is used to construct the temple’s central structure. The beautiful idols of the gods have been carved out of Charmouthi sandstone from Karnataka. On the other side, the towering sculptures at the entrance gate are made of pink sandstone from Bansi Paharpur in Rajasthan. Karnataka is where the black stone used to make Lord Ram’s statue comes from as portals to the divine realm, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura have supplied handcrafted fabrics and elaborately carved wooden doors from their locations in the foothills of the Himalayas. Maharashtra is the supplier of polished teakwood, while Uttar Pradesh is the supplier of brassware.

The temple complex, which was constructed with traditional and indigenous technologies from India, features an independent power station, a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment plant, and a water supply for fire safety.

Bansi Paharpur Sandstone

The carved Rajasthan Bansi Paharpur stone, a rare pink marble stone known for its strength and beauty, will be used to construct the Ram Mandir’s superstructure. A total of 4 lakh square feet of stone would be needed.

The Bansi Paharpur Sandstone comes in pink and red hues and is located in the Bayana Tehsil of the Bharatpur District in Rajasthan. The mining of pink sandstone in the Band Baretha Wildlife Sanctuary in Bharatpur was permitted in 2021 after the centre granted in-principle clearance to convert 398 hectares of protected forest area into revenue land. This reversed the mining restriction that had been in effect since 2016.