Ram temple gets its first 'gold' door ahead of Jan 22 inauguration

Ayodhya, Jan 10 (IANS) The first golden door has been installed at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, temple officials said.

The door, which is 12-feet high and eight-feet wide, has been installed on the upper floor of the sanctum sanctorum.

In the next three days, 13 more golden doors will be installed there, according to the temple trust sources.

A total of 46 doors will be installed in the Ram Temple, out of which 42 will be coated with gold.

All these doors are being installed on the upper floor of the sanctum sanctorum. Of the 46 doors that will be installed in the Ram temple, 42 will be coated with 100 kg gold," officials said.

In the picture that has surfaced, two elephants in the welcome posture can be seen in the middle panel of the golden door. In the upper part, a palace-like shape can be seen in which two servants are standing with folded hands. Meanwhile, beautiful artworks are inscribed in the four squares at the bottom of the door.

Meanwhile, the temple trust shared the pictures of the sculpture of Jatayu, a significant character in the Ramayana, and glimpses of exquisitely carved figures of deities, gods and goddesses adorning the pillars and walls of the temple in the nighttime.

The Ram Mandir, constructed in the traditional Nagara style, is a three-storied shrine, measuring 380 feet in length (east-west direction), 250 feet in width, and 161 feet in height. It has a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. It features five Mandaps (halls) -- Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prarthna and Kirtan Mandaps.

The preparations are in full swing for the 'Pran Prathistha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in the newly built Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on January 22.

Idols of elephants, lions, Lord Hanuman and Garuda, 'vahana' of Lord Vishnu, have been installed at the entrance gate of the Ram Temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. He will perform the rituals in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple at around 12.15 p.m.