"Ram Mandir A National Temple," Says Dipika Chikhlia Who Played Sita

Dipika Chikhlia, who became synonymous with Goddess Sita due to her role in Ramanand Sagar's TV serial Ramayan, believes that the Ram temple in Ayodhya is not only about faith but also a 'rashtra mandir'.

Ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony in Ayodhya, Chikhlia recalled the moment when she was selected to play the role of Sita in the TV serial. Ramanand Sagar was very happy about it and even had tears in his eyes, she said.

Ms Chikhlia said that with 'Pran Pratishtha' Sanatan Dharma is finally getting its due.

"I was considered for Sita only. I had worked with Ramanand Sagar before Ramayan. So he had me in mind. But he did not want to arrive at a decision without going through auditions. He was very happy after the final audition. With tears in his eyes, he said, 'Mujhe meri Sita mil gayee'," Chikhlia told PTI in an interview.

The actor said she had visited Ayodhya in July 2023 and was totally mesmerized by the holy city. "I thought that I was in the same city that Ram Ji had ruled and lived in at one point in time." "The Ram temple is not only about faith; it is also a 'rashtra mandir' (national temple) under construction. (Ram Mandir sirf vishvas, bharosa kee hee baat nahi hai. Usske saath-saath yeh mandir, raashtra mandir kaa nirmaan hone jaa rahaa hai). This, I think, is extremely wonderful," she said.

Speaking about the ceremony, Chikhlia said, "Pran Pratishtha is very symbolic because Sanatan Dharm is finally getting its due. All our temples are getting renovated and are becoming larger than life. Due to the trust that the people have in their gods and the governance system, I think they are becoming more confident in being Sanatanis. They think that the Sanatanis also get respect in this country."

On the transformation of Ayodhya, she said, "A number of changes are being witnessed in Ayodhya. A grand temple is being built. The architecture has also changed. It is looking very beautiful, organized, and coordinated. The roads have become broad. This will give a boost to tourism and also to the economy. So, I think it's all wonderful." Chikhlia is a producer with Nazara TV and has produced a TV serial called Dhartiputra Nandini, which is the story of a family living in Ayodhya.

She was a Lok Sabha MP from Vadodara from 1991 to 1996. She was elected on a BJP ticket.