Old idol of Ram Lalla to be placed in front of new idol, says Ram temple trust's treasure
Ayodhya (UP), The old idol of Ram Lalla, kept in a makeshift shrine, will be placed in front of the new idol which will be consecrated at the temple here on January 22, said Govind Dev Giri, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. He also said that more than Rs 1,100 crore has so far been spent in constructing the Ram Temple and another Rs 300 crore might be needed to complete the work.
A 51-inch Ram Lalla idol was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple last week.
Three idols of Lord Ram were built from which the one sculpted by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj has been selected for «Pran Prathistha».
When asked what would happen to the other two idols, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said, «We shall place them in the temple with all honour and respect. One of the idols will be kept with us since we will need it to measure the clothes and ornaments of Prabhu Shri Ram.»
About the original Ram Lalla idol, Giri said, «It will be placed in front of Ram Lalla.
The original idol is very important. It is five to six inches in height and cannot be seen from a distance of 25 to 30 feet. That is why we needed a bigger idol.»
When asked about the cost incurred in constructing the Ram temple he said, «More than Rs 1,100 crore have been spent and it is likely that Rs 300 crore more will be needed since the construction is not complete yet.
