The construction of the first floor of the three-storey Ram Temple in Ayodhya is likely to begin by the end of the month and thework on the ground floor is nearing completion, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said on Tuesday.
The trust is overseeing the construction of the temple which began in 2020.
“By the end of this month, the construction of the first floor of the temple will most likely begin. Final touches are being given to the ground floor. The entire construction of the ground floor is most likely to be over by October,” the member cited above said, seeking anonymity.
The temple’s foundation was laid in an elaborate ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020. The construction started thereafter and is being monitored by senior functionaries. It was recently reviewed by a team led by Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, and comprising members from the engineering teams of Larsen & Toubro, Tata Consulting Engineers, and the trust.
As per the details provided by the construction committee, the temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet in width and 161 feet high from the courtyard. The sanctum sanctorum is spread over 20 feet.
According to the trust, 160 pillars have been built on the ground floor of the temple. Of these, six are made of white Makrana marble from Nagaur district, and the remaining are of pink sandstone from Bansi Paharpur – both in Rajasthan. Makrana marble will also be used for the temple’s floor, the trust said.
“Apart from the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum), the temple has five mandaps – gudh mandap, rang mandap, nritya mandap, prathana mandap and kirtan mandap. The dome size of the five mandaps are 34 feet wide and 32 feet long, and the height from the courtyard ranges between 69 feet to 111 feet,” a second member of the trust said, seeking anonymity.
The second member added that entry to the temple will be from the “singh dwar” and the first halt for the devotees will be at the “nritya mandap”. “The gudh mandap just before the sanctum sanctorum will be the last halt. Devotees will not be allowed entry inside the sanctum sanctorum where only priests will perform the rituals,” the member said.
On Monday, the temple authorities said that the construction of the sanctum sanctorum is expected to be completed by the end of the year, and the inauguration of the grand structure may take place in January next year on a date that is yet to be finalised.
The trust, meanwhile, said it has sent an invitation to Modi, suggesting three auspicious dates for the opening ceremony. The three auspicious dates shortlisted after consulting astrologers are likely between January 17 and 24, said people aware of the matter.
The trust did not disclose the specific dates to the media but said that rituals at the temple can begin only from Makar Sankranti, according to the Hindu calendar.
