''Timeless Wonder'': What Makes Ram Lalla's Idol Extraordinary? Government Explains

The idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated on January 22 in a grand ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said it marked the advent of a new era. As soon as the temple opened to the public, a huge rush of devotees was witnessed outside the complex as people beat the severe cold to catch a glimpse of Ram Lalla. Meanwhile, social media is also buzzing with excitement as people are sharing their unique perspectives and experiences with this momentous occasion.

Amid this, MyGovIndia, the citizen engagement platform of the Government of India, took to X to share a post on what makes Ram Lalla's idol ''extraordinary''. In a thread on X, the government enlisted several unique features and remarkable facts about the sacred idol.

The post was captioned as ''22 January marked a historic moment as PM @narendramodi performed the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Ever wondered what makes Ram Lalla's idol extraordinary?''

See the post here:

''Sunlight Blesses Ram Lalla's Idol on Ram Navami! Every Ram Navami at noon, mirrors and lenses systems align to focus sunlight on Ram Lalla's idol's forehead. An eco-friendly spectacle with no electricity or batteries needed,'' the first tweet in the thread read. 

The government further said Ram Lalla's idol has Lord Vishnu's ten avatars and it is carved from 2.5 billion-year-old black granite. ''A majestic portrayal showcasing the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Additionally, adorned with Hanuman on one side and Garuda on the other,'' the second tweet stated. 

The Sun at the center of the idol's crown symbolises the Suryavanshi logo, the government added.

''Ram Lalla's tilak boasts a central 3-carat natural diamond, surrounded by smaller diamonds totaling approximately 10 carats. Natural Burmese rubies are used to adorn the Ajana Chakra,'' the government explained.

The government also gave a shoutout to Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj who carved the idol out of a three billion-year-old rock. ''A legacy spanning five generations in the art of sculpting, Arun is renowned for crafting a 30-foot statue of Subhas Chandra Bose in New Delhi and a 12-foot tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath,'' the post concluded. 

The idol is adorned in Banarasi fabric, featuring a yellow dhoti and a red 'pataka' or 'angavastram'. The 'angavastram' are embellished in pure gold 'zari' and threads, featuring auspicious Vaishnav symbols -- 'shankh', 'padma', 'chakra' and 'mayur'.

While the ornaments have been crafted by Ankur Anand's Lucknow-based Harsahaimal Shiamlal Jewellers, the garments were created by Delhi-based textile designer Manish Tripathi, who worked from Ayodhya Dham for the project.