Two days after the Ram Mandir was inaugurated in Ayodhya and a Ram Lalla idol was placed in the sacred sanctum sanctorum, two other idols await for their final placement within the temple complex.
The second idol, carved from a unique black stone by sculptor Ganesh Bhatt, has recently captured the attention of devotees and art enthusiasts, reported India Today.
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According to the report, the 51-inch statue, that resonates with the innocence of the five-year-old Ram Lalla, has been carved from a dark stone known as Krishna Shila. It was sourced from the fertile lands of Hegadadevana Kote in Karnataka's Mysuru.
It is expected that Bhatt's creation will be enshrined within the temple precinct, as the Trust overseeing the Ram Mandir's affairs is looking into the matter.
The third one, sculpted by Satyanarayan Pandey, is also waiting for a place in the Ram Mandir, as it did not make it to the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum).
This white marble idol of Ram Lalla is adorned with golden jewellery and clothes. It is surrounded by an arch that depicts various incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
It is expected that the white marble idol will likely be installed on the first floor of the temple.
The Ram Lalla idol that was ultimately selected and placed at the sanctum sanctorum was the work of Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj.
The 51-inch representation of the divine childhood of Ram Lalla was chiselled from a three billion-year-old rock, known for its azure-coloured Krishna Shila or black schist.
It was excavated from Gujjegowdanapura village in Mysuru. Yogiraj's Ram Lalla idol was chosen from among three commissioned murtis for the sanctum sanctorum, and its eyes have captivated the hearts of worshippers and onlookers.
According to the India Today report, the Ram Mandir will enshrine four distinct idols of Ram Lalla: the original Ram Lalla idol, the newly installed idol in the sanctum sanctorum, and the two additional creations by Bhatt and Satyanarayan Pandey.
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