Days after the idol of Lord Ram Lalla for ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration) was finalised by the temple trust in Ayodhya, Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday said the idol carved by Karnataka’s renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj will adore the grand Ram temple.
In a social media post on X, Joshi said, “The selection of the idol for the Prana Pratishtapana of Lord Rama in Ayodhya has been finalized. The idol of Lord Rama, carved by renowned sculptor of our country Yogiraj Arun, will be installed in Ayodhya.”
The minister also shared a photograph of Yogiraj posing alongside the idol of Lord Ram.
The grand consecration ceremony of Ram temple will be held on January 22.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa also expressed joy on social media, congratulating sculptor Arun Yogiraj and expressing pride in the selection of Lord Ram’s idol for installation in Ram Mandir.
“The idol of Lord Rama sculpted by the sculptor Arun Yogiraj of Mysuru has been selected for installation in the magnificent Sri Rama Mandir of Ayodhya, which has doubled the pride and happiness of the entire Rama devotees of the state. Heartfelt congratulations to ‘Shilpi @yogiraj_arun’.”
On the selection of idols, Yogiraj’s mother Saraswathi told ANI, “It is the happiest moment for us, I wanted to see him crafting the sculpture, but he said he would take me on the last day, I will go on the day of the installation.”
The trustee of Ram Janmbhoomi Teertha Kshetra, Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, had confirmed the completion of the idol selection process during the trust’s meeting on Friday.
Explaining the selection process, Mishra highlighted the idol’s captivating nature, saying, “The idol speaks to you, as once you see it, you get mesmerised by it. Even if multiple idols are placed together, the eyes will get fixated on the one that will be the best.”
Champat Rai, the secretary of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, played a key role in the decision-making process. Earlier, Rai had announced that a 51-inch-tall idol of Lord Ram, reflecting a five-year-old Ram Lalla, would be chosen from three designs, emphasizing the divineness and childlike appearance as crucial factors.
