Ram Lalla Sculpture ArjunYogiraj: The Creation Story of Ram Mandir's Ram Lalla Idol: Insights from Sculptor Yogiraj's Wife Shared with MorningSuntime.
Ram Lalla Sculpture ArjunYogiraj: After days of speculation, the Ram Mandir authorities in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya have finally revealed the Ram idol which is set to be installed in the 'garbhagriha' or sanctum sanctorum of the temple in the mega-consecration ceremony to be held on January 22.
Ram Mandir's Ram Lalla Idol: Insights from Sculptor Yogiraj's Wife
Key Points of the Story
Yogiraj's sculpted masterpiece is poised to find its place in the 'garbhagriha' or sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir. Sharing insights into the sculptor's journey, his wife, Vijetha Arun Yogiraj, narrates the story behind the creation of the revered god.
The man, who has given shape to the god, is Karnataka’s renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj, who along with the other two skilled artisans - Ganesh Bhatt from Bengaluru and Satya Narayan Pandey from Rajasthan – had been shortlisted earlier for creating statues of Ram Lalla, Hindu god Lord Ram's child-like form.
Yogiraj's sculpture has now been officially chosen, and his family is elated at the achievement.
Narrating the journey of the god-maker to MorningSuntime, Yogiraj's wife Vijetha Arun Yogiraj said: "In January 2023, many artists from India were invited to present their previous work in the national capital Delhi and after scrutiny, three artists were selected to make Lord Ram's idol. Arun started working on the idol in the month of June in Ayodhya and completed the idol after six months of hard work.
The stone was already given to him by the Ayodhya temple's committee. The stone was selected and researchers had conducted a testing of the stone and after it was found suitable for making an idol, it was handed over to the artist," she added.
Why is Krishna Shila Stone the Ideal Selection?
The stone used for crafting the Ram idol – Krishna Shila – came as a surprise to many, especially because of its bluish-grey color.
Speaking about how Krishna Shila stone is a good choice for making the idol, Vijetha said: "It was decided by the temple authorities what kind of stone has to be used for making the idol. The Krishna Shila stone is a monolithic stone – which is one stone from which the whole idol is made."
Krishna Sila is a stone which does not react to anything like acid. When you pour milk on the idol, the stone will not react to anything. Krishna sila is bluish grey and when you apply coconut and burnt cocoa powder, it turns black. Over the years, it hardens and does not react to anything. There are 5,000-year-old temples where idols have been made using Krishna Shila stones and have till now not reacted to any weather conditions.
A team of researchers had selected different stones from various parts of the country. After testing of the rocks, the final rocks had reached Ayodhya Dham. It was long back that the rocks were finalized and were worshipped and later given to the sculptors,
Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) International Working President Alok Kumar, speaking about how the stone was tested, told MorningSuntime, "All the final stones were tested through all possible methods to ensure that they are good and will last for 1,000 years. And then, these stones were given to the sculptors.
The Transition of Yogiraj from an MBA Graduate to a Sculptor
Speaking about what made Yogiraj, an MBA-graduate, turn into a sculptor, his wife said, "Arun comes from a five-generation family of artists and in our home only we have our workshop. So, every day he used to see people sculpting which included his father and other sculptors doing this job. He also participated in sculpting from time to time. And at one point, he decided to join this profession and not go for a corporate job, after which he became a professional sculptor."
Expressing how exhilarated the family is at his selection, Vijetha said, "When he was shortlisted for sculpting the idol of Ram Lalla, we were all excited. We were so happy and felt that we had done some good deed, that is why we have got such an opportunity. We were informed by the media. We started celebrating from the day he was chosen to make the idol. When they told us that all three idols would be installed in the temple itself, that was the happiest moment.
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