Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust set up for the construction and management of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir has taken to Twitter to inform that the construction of the Bhavya Ram Mandir, Bhoomi Pujan of which was successfully performed by PM Narendra Modi on August 5, has commenced. It said that engineers from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) Roorkee, IIT Madras along with L&T are now testing the soil at the mandir site.
The construction of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir has begun. Engineers from CBRI Roorkee, IIT Madras along with L&T are now testing the soil at the mandir site. The construction work is expected to finish in 36-40 months.
— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) August 20, 2020
It informed that the construction of the Mandir, which will be done adhering to India’s ancient and traditional construction techniques, is expected to be completed in the next 36-40 months.
It said that the construction will be done in a way to sustain earthquakes, storms and other natural calamities. Iron won’t be used in the construction of the Mandir, informed the trust overlooking the construction of the Bhavya Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
The Mandir will be built by adhering to India’s ancient and traditional construction techniques. It will also be built to sustain earthquakes, storms and other natural calamities. Iron won’t be used in the construction of the Mandir.
— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) August 20, 2020
Ram Mandir Trust asks devotees to donate copper
The trust has asked devotees across India to donate copper wires and 2″ copper rods for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Champat Rai, general secretary of the trust, addressing a press conference on August 19 said that the temple would be constructed in such a way that it would stand for at least 1,000 years.
“Copper strips have the ability to stay safe even during an earthquake. To begin with, we need (around) 10,000 such strips – at least 18 inches long, 3 mm in depth, 30 mm wide. We will ask the community to send these strips; names of their villages, temples, or mohallas can be carved on them. This will be evidence of the country’s contribution,” Champat Rai said.
Rai furthered that the donated copper is expected to give the temple more durability.
“The stone that will be used in the construction will be such that air, sun and water decay will not happen for at least 1,000 years. The construction company L&T has got the best people; IIT Chennai has been consulted for testing the strength of the soil, and the Central Building Research Institute will make sure the building is earthquake-resistant,” Rai told reporters in New Delhi Wednesday.
He added that the Ram Mandir will be constructed using only stone, and no iron at all. “Mandir will be made of stone and plain concreting will be done. Drawings are still being finalised and so are the carvings,” informed the general secretary of the trust.
Carved stones ready for the Mandir
Even though the construction of the Ram Mandir is starting now, preparation for the same has been going o for the same for the last three decades. At the Ram Mandir Karyashala (workshop) in Ayodhya run by VHP, stones for the Mandir are being carved by artisans for the last 30 years, which began shortly after the Silanyash of the Mandir was done in 1989.
Stones brought in Rajasthan have been used to carve various parts of the Mandir. According to people working in the Karyashala, stones for the first floor is ready, and the work on the rest is going on. As the plan for the temple has been changed to make it bigger than initially planed, more stones will be required.
Apart from carved stones, the Karyashala is also filled with almost several lakhs of bricks donated by devotees over the last 3 decades.
