The new idol of Lord Ram was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Thursday afternoon
The face of the Ram Lalla idol was revealed on Friday, a day after it was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Shri Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya where the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony will take place on January 22. The idol sculpted by Mysuru-based artist Arun Yogiraj is made of black stone.
Social media was flooded with pictures of Ram Lalla idol after the face-reveal. The statue carved in black stone has its eyes covered with a yellow cloth and is adorned with a garland of roses, Sharad Sharma, an office-bearer of the Vishva Hindu Parishad told news agency PTI.
In the picture released by VHP, Ram Lalla is in a standing posture.
The 51-inch Ram Lalla idol, sculpted by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj, was brought to the temple Wednesday night. On Thursday afternoon, it was placed in the sanctum sanctorum.
This was done amid the chanting of prayers, according to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. A picture went viral on social media of the idol being placed inside the sanctum sanctorum, showing Arun Yogiraj at the scene.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the January 22 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram temple, which is expected to be opened to the public the next day.
Temple trust general secretary Champat Rai had told reporters here on Monday that the consecration ceremony will begin at 12:20 pm and is expected to be completed by 1 pm on January 22.
Rituals leading to the consecration ceremony have already begun at the temple, constructed at what many devout believe marks the spot where Lord Ram was born.