3 Sculptors wait with bated breath for momentus selection of Ram Lalla idol

A moment of eternity is knocking at the doors of Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj Shilpi as he awaits the final nod for the installation Ram Lalla statue sculpted by him in the Sanctum Sanctorum of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir.

Arun is competing with two other sculptors, GL Bhat from Bengaluru and Satyanarayan Pandey from Rajasthan, who also have sculpted Ram Lalla. One of the three statues of Ram Lalla will be finalised for installation at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, which is responsible for the management of the Ram Mandir, will finalise the Ram Lalla idol that will capture the tenderness of a five-year-old child, will be finalised and placed in the sanctum sanctorum or garbhagriha of the temple.

If this statue is okayed, this will be Arun's third after his statues of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath and Subash Chandra Bose at Kartavya Path in Delhi were finalised.The other two idols will be installed in other parts of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the Trust stated.

"Three sculptors were given an opportunity. All of us have made efforts to make the statue in different ways. And GL Bhat sir from Karnataka has made the statue out of HD Kote stone. Satyanarayan Pandey, a sculptor from Rajasthan, has made the statue out of marble. The best out of three will be selected," he told a section of media.

This process started in June and ended in December, he said and added that he is the youngest sculptor among the three. "Getting an opportunity to do this, I consider it as my life's destiny," he said.

Currently, Arun is working on the statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, commissioned by the Justice Department, to be installed in Jaisalmer House, Delhi, a testament to his versatility in portraying diverse historical and cultural figures.

Arun, who has an MBA degree with him, is a fifth-generation sculptor. He had quit a corporate job to continue the tradition of sculpting statues in 2008.Inheriting the art of sculpting from his late father BS Yogiraj Shilpi, Arun has sculpted more than 1000 statues.

The statue showcases Ram Lalla in the form of a five-year-old child, holding a bow and arrow—a poignant symbol of Bhagwan Sri Ram. The statue spans an impressive 51 inches from foot to forehead, illustrating the meticulous attention to detail that Arun has employed in his work.

The Vedic rituals for Pran Prathista (consecration ceremony) will begin on January 16, a week before the opening of the temple.

The main rituals will be performed by Ganeshwar Shastri and Lakshmi Kant Dixit, the Trust said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the grand opening of the Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22 along with several dignitaries invited by the temple trust.(UNI)