The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust entrusted with the construction and management of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya, will conduct a vote today to select the idol of Ram Lalla which will be installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple during the consecration ceremony on January 22.
A meeting will be held by the Trust, which will move forward with the voting process. "All three designs, made by separate sculptors, would be put on the table. The one idol that gets the most votes will be installed at the consecration of the shrine on January 22," ANI quoted unnamed sources.
Trust secretary Champat Rai had earlier said that a 51-inch-tall idol of Lord Ram reflecting a five-year-old-Ram Lalla would be selected from among three designs. "The one that has the best divineness and has a childlike look about it will be selected," he told reporters.
The idol will be placed on an eight-foot-tall gold-plated marble throne which is being crafted in Rajasthan.
The rituals will be held over seven days starting from January 16. On the day before the consecration ceremony, the idol will be bathed in 125 urns. On the next day, after the morning puja, the deity of Ram Lala will be consecrated in 'Mrigashira Nakshatra' in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, the work to give final touches to the temple progresses in Ayodhya. Rai had shared some fresh pictures of the finishing work going on inside the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
According to the trust, the work is being carried out in three phases. "The first phase will be completed by December 2023, the second phase, when the construction of the temple will be completed, will be carried out in January and the third phase includes the construction work in the complex," Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Misra told reporters on Thursday.
Modi's visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Ayodhya on Saturday, which will see him launch several infrastructure and development projects.
To welcome Modi, the city is being spruced up with flowers. To lend the city a "divine look", strings of orange and yellow marigolds were being wrapped around ornamental lamp posts installed on the median of a redeveloped road stretch, now christened Ram Path. These lamp posts carry design elements on top which depict religious symbols.
The designs used in making these decorations are inspired by the image of Lord Ram, his bow and arrow, Lord Hanuman, and religious tilak, among other patterns.
