Hyderabad’s wooden doors to Surat Saree: Here are contributions from different states for Ram temple at Ayodhya

Ayodhya: Excitement is building up in a run-up to Pran Pratishtha of 'Ram Lalla' in the newly built Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to perform the Pran Pratishtha of the idol of Lord Ram at the grand temple in Ayodhya on January 22 in the presence of more than 8,000 guests.

Lakhs of devotees are expected to throng the temple from January 23 onwards and elaborate arrangements are being made in the Uttar Pradesh town for the consecration ceremony and the visit of the devotees.

From saree from Surat to wooden doors from Hyderabad, here are some of the contributions from different parts of India.

Saree from Surat:

A special saree prepared in Gujarat's Surat city, a major textile hub of the country. The saree, with pictures of Lord Ram and the Ayodhya temple printed on it, is meant for Lord Ram's wife Sita, reverentially known as Ma Janaki, and the first piece was offered to a temple here on Sunday, said Lalit Sharma, a businessman associated with the textile industry in Surat.

Textile businessman Rakesh Jain, who prepared the saree in consultation with Sharma, said the cloth is meant for Ma Janaki and will be sent to the temple in Ayodhya city of Uttar Pradesh.

"There is joy all over the world because the idol of Lord Ram is going to be consecrated at the Ayodhya temple after many years. Ma Janaki and Lord Hanuman are the happiest," Sharma said. "Sharing their happiness, we have prepared a special saree with pictures of Lord Ram and the Ayodhya temple printed on it. We offered it to Ma Janaki at a temple here. The saree will be sent to the Ram temple in Ayodhya," he said. Sharma said if they receive a request, they will send the saree free of cost to all the temples of Lord Ram where Ma Janaki resides.

108 feet Agarabathi:

A huge 108-foot-long incense stick was brought from Vadodara in Gujarat to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla idol. Made by Gujarat resident Viha Bharwad in Vadodara, this 3.5-foot-wide incense stick is environmentally friendly. Different types of herbs have been used in its preparation which took six months.

As per Bharwad, a manufacturer of incense sticks, “This incense stick will last continuously for about one and a half months. It will spread its fragrance in an area of several kilometers.”

Soil to invitees:

The soil of Ram Janmabhoomi that was taken out during the digging of the foundation will be packed in boxes and presented to the guests attending the consecration ceremony. Memorable gifts will be given to more than 11,000 guests and invitees to the consecration ceremony. Apart from the soil of Ram Janmabhoomi, the guests will be presented 100 grams of special Motichoor laddoos made with desi ghee as prasad, he added.

The trust member said that the gifts to the invitees would comprise two boxes, one containing motichoor laddoos as prasad and a sacred tulsi leaf, while the other would contain soil that was recovered during the digging of the Ram Janmabhoomi land. The gift boxes will also have water from Saryu River packed in a bottle and religious books provided by the Gita Press of Gorakhpur, he said.

Golden door sculptor from Hyderabad:

The first of the golden doors has been installed, marking a significant milestone in the temple's construction. What's more special is the wooden door is intricately designed by Anuradha Timbers, a century-old firm based in Hyderabad. It has been entrusted with the task of crafting these doors, many of which will be adorned with gold plating.

This door, which is an impressive 12 feet high and 8 feet wide, adorns the upper floor of the sanctum sanctorum, inviting devotees and visitors to witness the blend of spirituality and craftsmanship.

Anuradha Timbers, renowned for its international projects dating back to the British era, has previously contributed to the construction of well-known shrines across the country such as Tirupati, Yadadri, and Rameshwaram. A team of 50 craftsmen in Ayodhya and an additional 50 providing support from Hyderabad are working on the creation of the temple doors.

The grandeur of the Ram Temple is set to be unparalleled with plans to install a total of 46 doors, out of which 42 will be coated with gold.

Ram Lalla sculptor from Mysuru:

The idol of Ram Lalla to be installed inside the temple has been sculpted by Mysuru-based Arun Yogiraj.

The current idol of Ram Lalla will also be kept in the sanctum sanctorum of the new temple.