Ayodhya will witness another chapter in its history with bhoomi pujan for a grand Ram temple on Wednesday and the day has come after an end last year to a long and arduous legal struggle that stretched 134 years.
Perhaps the longest title dispute in the country, it began in 1885 and ended with Supreme Court giving its verdict in November last year. That also paved the way for the constitution of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust which has been tasked to oversee the construction of temple.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday attend a public function on laying of the foundation stone of 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir' at Ayodhya, the Prime Minister's Office said.
Prior to the function, the prime minister will take part in 'pooja' and 'darshan' at Hanumangarhi, a statement by the PMO said on Tuesday.
He will unveil a plaque to mark the laying of foundation stone and also release a commemorative postage stamp on 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir', the statement further said.
Temple's design
The Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be grander and bigger compared to the earlier plan with three new domes added to the design and the structure's height increased by 20 feet.
The changes in design, which have the approval of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, will enable more devotees to be accommodated in the precincts of the temple and add to its magnificence.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust has been set up to oversee the construction of Ram temple.
Mahant Raju Das, senior priest of Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya, said the temple will have three more domes.
"We want a magnificent temple and for that, I would like to thank the temple trust. The temple will now have more domes. It will have three floors," Das told ANI.
Annu Bhai Sompura, Manager of Ram Mandir Nirman Karyashala, had said earlier that silver, gold and copper would also be used in the construction of the temple apart from stones and wood.
Gold and silver will be used in the design of the main doors of the temple, he said.
Das said the new design will enable around one lakh devotees to be accommodated in the temple for prayers.
He said each floor will have theme associated with Lord Ram such as childhood "jhaanki" and Ram Darbar.
"The temple will also have mandaps like katha mandap and nritya mandap," he said.
Nikhil Sompura, architect and son of C Sompura who is chief architect of the temple, had said height of the temple will be 161-feet, an increase of 20-feet from the previous design made nearly three decades ago.
"There is a lot of enthusiasm and the number of devotees visiting the temple will increase over time so we thought the size should be increased. The height of the temple has been increased from 141-feet to 161-feet," Nikhil Sompura had told ANI.
He said two mandaps have been added to the design.
"All pillars and stones that were carved based on the earlier design will be used," he said.
Nikhil Sompura said it was a matter of great pride for him and his family to have the honour of designing the temple and it would be completed in three to three-and-a-half years.
"Once the 'Bhoomi Pujan' is done in the presence of the Prime Minister, the construction work will start. The team of L&T and machinery has reached the place and work on foundation will start right away," he said.
Here's a look at the proposed model of the Ram Temple:
ANI
ANI
