There is a lot of excitement in India about the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The grand Ram Temple was inaugurated on January 22, 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the inauguration program, which was attended by many prominent personalities across the country.
Some parts of the temple is still under construction and it is believed that after the completion it will be the third biggest temple in the world. Also, the most important pilgrimage site for Hindus all over the world.
After the inauguration, an average of 2 lakh people are reaching Ayodhya every day and till now 22 lakh people have visited Ram Mandir in 10 days.
That’s unbelievable!
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Let us know how Ayodhya was from the pages of history
According to Ramcharitramanas, Ayodhiya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, was a very beautiful city. The layout of the city was well-planned.
There were huge buildings, temples and gardens everywhere. Because of Sarayu River, there was abundance of water supply in the city.
The economy of the city was also very strong. traders from different places used to set up shops there. the markets were full of customers. the Ayodhya city was prominent center of arts, craft and cultural activities then.
Many learned sagas and saints used to live here. Due to which, education and spirituality had a strong connection with this place.
Ayodhya at that time was truly one of the greatest cities in the world.
But now today, after thousands of years later by investing thousands of crores of rupees, the lost glory of Ayodhya is being returned back. Its being transformed into world-class city.
This magical transformation of Ayodhya is all started with the construction of Ram Mandir.
Let us sneak a peek into some Unique features of Ram Mandir, Ayodhya. Anyone who hears its features will end up mesmerized.
Architecture of Ram Mandir
The first design of Ram Temple was prepared in the year 1988, some changes have been made in the same design.
According to Vastu Shastra, the Ram temple is being built in Nagara style (classical Indian temple architecture).
For the entrance there are 32, 16-feet wide stairs. The entrance gate of the temple is built in Gopuram style. The entry to the temple is from the east side, by climbing 32 stairs from ‘Singh dwar’.
Note: entry is allowed from three gates whereas exit is allowed only from two gates.
- A rectangular wall has been built around the temple which is 732 meters long and 14 feet high.
- A whopping amount of 1800 crores is spent on the construction of the temple.
- The total land area is 57.4 acres out of which 2.7 acres is used for temple construction.
- The most interesting fact is that no iron or steel is used for temple construction.
- No cement or lime mortar is used at the joints. A lock and key mechanism (using groves and ridges) has been used
- The temple is built to last 1000 years.
- The temple can bear 6.5 magnitude earthquake easily.
- Special attention is being paid to environmental conservation.
30 percent of the area is used for construction. Of the total area of 70 acres, 70% of the area will remain green forever.
The main architects of this temple are Chandrakant Sompura and his two sons Nikhil Sompura and Ashish Sompura.
The temple is built with red sandstones from Bansi Pahadpur in Rajasthan.
Artworks depicting the life of Lord Rama and other statues of Gods and Goddesses are carved on the pillars and walls of the temple.
There are 5 mandaps (big halls where prayers, hymns and other rituals are performed) between grabgriha and the entrance in the temple.
- Kudu Mandap
- Nritya Mandap
- Rang Mandap
- Kirtan Mandap
- Prarthana Mandap
On all four sides of the Ram Mandir, a total 2400 feet long and 14 feet wide rectangular boundary is constructed which is called Parkota.
In all four corners of Parkota, temples dedicated to Sun God, Mother Bhagwati, Ganapati and Lord Shiva are built . In the northern side, there is a temple of Maa Annapurna and a temple of Hanuman ji in the southern side.
Within the same temple complex, some of the main characters associated with Ramayana, like Maharishi Valmiki, Maharishi Vasishtha, Maharishi Vishwamitra Maharishi Agastya, Nishadraj, Mata Shabri, and Davi Ahiliya’s temples are also built.
In the temple, you will also get to see the prayer room, Ram Katha Kunj, Vedic Pathshala, Sant Niwas, Yeti Niwas, Museum and Cafeteria.
Note: Temple is open for visitors from 8:00 AM to 10 PM. Temple will be close between 1:00 PM to 3:00PM.
Size of Temple
The length of the temple from east to west is 380 feet, Width is 250 feet whereas the height is 161 feet. The temple has three stories and the height of each floor is 20 ft.
There are a total of 392 carved pillars and 12 gates in the Shri Ram Janam Bhumi temple.
All the doors and windows in the temple are made of teak wood. These woods have been procured from Chandrapur, Maharashtra.
The 42 gates of Ram Mandir are studded with gold. The work of applying the gold layer has been done by the jewellers of Ghaziabad.
The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is designed in octagonal shape which is made of Makrana marble from Rajasthan. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is designed in such a way that the sun’s rays fall directly on Ramlala.
Statue of Rama
There are two idols of Lord Shri Ram in the temple. The first one is an actual statue that was discovered in 1949.
The second idol is of Ram Lala, which is a child form of Lord Shri Ram, and it is kept in the main sanctum.
Champat Rai, the General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, has mentioned that the idol’s form has been inspired by Valmiki Ramayana.
The statue of Ram Lala is so beautiful and charming that whoever sees it bursts with joy.
Apart from this, in the form of Lord Rama described in Valmiki Ramayana, he has been described as having dark complexion. That is why the color of Ramlala’s idol has been kept black.
The beautiful idol of Ram Lalla has been made by Arun Yogiraj of Mysore.
Note: Electronic gadgets like phone, camera, laptop, smart watch, earphones, purse or any other bag etc are not allowed in the temple.
Temple Bell
A huge bell weighing 2400 kg has been installed in the temple. Its height is 6 feet and width is 5 feet. It is crafted as a single piece and said to be the largest bell among the country.
The bell is made of ‘Ashta dhatu’ (eight metals), manufactured in Jalesar town, located in the Etah district.
Facilities for visitors in the temple
- There is a facility of ramp and lift in the temple for the disabled and elderly.
- A Pilgrims Facility Center with a capacity of 25 thousand is constructed, where there are lockers to keep the luggage of the pilgrims and medical facilities.
- For visitors coming from different parts of the country and the world, the Ram Mandir Trust has decided to make a team of language experts, who will assist the devotees who speak different languages of of India. Along with that, these language experts will also help visitors who speak foreign languages with the visit.
- There are facilities of bathroom, toilet, wash basin, open taps, etc. in the temple premises.
Festivals in Ram Mandir
The list of festivals to be celebrated in Ram temple has been prepared. Ram Janambhoomi Trust has informed that 12 major festivals and festivals will be celebrated in the Ram temple.
There will be a special event on Ram Navami. The first festival Basant Panchami will be celebrated in Ram temple on 14th February. During which Mata Saraswati will be worshiped and cultural rituals will also be performed.
How to reach Ayodhya
Ayodhya is divided into two parts Ayodhya which is also known as Faizabad and second one is Ayodhya Dham where Ram mandir is situated.
By Train: The train is the most convenient option to reach Ayodhya. There are two railway stations Ayodhya Cant/Faizabad and Ayodhya Dham. You can find direct trains from almost all the major cities of India.
The distance from Ayodhya Cant to Ram Mandir is 10 km. You can take an auto-rickshaw or e-rickshaw to reach Ram mandir.
Auto rickshaw | ₹ 300 |
E-rickshaw | ₹ 250-300 |
Distance from Ayodhya Dham railway station to Ram mandir is 2 km.
You can also travel from VANDE BHARAT EXP(22426), the fastest train from New Delhi to Ayodhya Dham which takes 8 hrs 20 mins.
You can easily reach Ram Mandir by auto rickshaw or e-rickshaw for ₹ 10-20.
By Bus: If you wish to travel by road then there are many UPSRTC and Volvo buses available from major cities in India to Ayodhya.
By Flight: If you want to reach Ayodhya by flight then the nearest airport is Maharishi Valmiki International Airport.
There is a direct flight from major cities like
- Delhi
- Mumbai
- Chennai
- Bengaluru
- Kolkata
Airport To Ayodhya Dham Distance is 12 kms. From the airport you can reach Ayodhya Dham by auto rickshaw, e-rickshaw-bus or Taxi.
Auto rickshaw charges | ₹ 400-500 |
E-rickshaw charges | ₹ 250-300 |
Taxi charges | ₹1000 |
E-bus charges | ₹ 40-50 |
Where to stay in Ayodhya
If you are visiting Ayodhya for the first time then make sure to stay at least a day, to explore the city and its prominent places.
Let’s discuss the available accommodation options in Ayodhya.
- Hanumangadi
- Tulsi Nagar
- Saptasagar Colony
- Near Kanak Bhawan
Are there some areas where you can stay and can easily explore Ayodhya’s famous places.
There are many options for stay like hotels, homestays, and Dharamshala from which you can choose according to your budget.
In Ayodhya, residents also serve their houses as a homestay. This can be an interesting way to learn about the local people, their lifestyle, and old tales of Ayodhya city.
Accommodation Option | Prices |
Hotels | starts from ₹800-6000. |
Home stay | Between ₹700-800 |
Dharamshala | starts from ₹500 |
Apart from these options you can also stay at Yatri Niwas (managed by the temple trust), Triveni Sadan, and Shri Ram Yatri Niwas. Additionally, there are tent houses near the railway station where you can stay free of cost.
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