Ayodhya Ram Temple: This is the proposed design of Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra.
Ayodhya's Ram Temple will be 161-foot tall, the temple architect has said, adding that the original design - prepared in 1988 - mentioned its height as 141 feet. The construction will begin after a grand ground-breaking ceremony on August 5 that will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other VIPS.
"The earlier design was prepared in 1988. Over 30 years have passed... the footfall is likely to increase. People are also very enthusiastic about visiting the temple. So we thought its size should be increased. As per the revised design, the height of the temple has been increased from 141-feet to 161-feet," Nikhil Sompura, an architect and son of C Sompura, chief architect of the temple, told news agency ANI.
Two mandaps have also been added to the design, he said.
"All pillars and the stones that were carved based on the earlier design will still be used. Only two ''mandaps'' have been added," he added.
The construction of temple will take around 3.5 years, Mr Sompura mentioned.
"Once the ''bhoomi pujan'' (ground breaking ceremony) is done in the presence of the Prime Minister, the construction work will start. The team of L&T, along with machinery and materials, have reached the spot and the work on foundation will start right away. It will take 3 to 3.5 years for the completion of the work," he was quoted as saying by the news agency.
Three-day long Vedic rituals will be held ahead of the grand ground- breaking ceremony, which will revolve around the installation of a 40 kg silver brick as the foundation stone by the Prime Minister.
The rituals will begin on August 3, news agency PTI reported.
Not more than 50 VIPs will attend the event, which was delayed by more than two months due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Giant CCTV screens have been put up across Ayodhya so the devotees can watch the programme, said the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra, which has been tasked with the temple.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)