Ahead of the Ram Mandir inauguration and Pran Pratishtha, the redeveloped gates of Dashrath Mahal will greet the devotees of Ram Lalla. Dashrath Mahal (Dashrath Palace) is where Bhagwan Shri Ram spent his childhood in the Treta Yuga. While Ram Lalla will be enshrined in the Ram Mandir on 22nd January, the Dashrath Mahal will take devotees back in time showcasing Shri Ram’s Baal Roop (childhood form), the echoes and traces of his footsteps in the royal palace.
The same Dashrath Mahal which witnessed the incarnation of Bhagwan Shri Ram in the Treta Yuga is now about to witness the auspicious moment of his return in the Kali Yuga. This is the very Dashrath Mahal that, even during the 500 years of decline, continued to provide evidence of the existence of Bhagwan Shri Ram’s temple on the present Ram Janmabhoomi area.
Work on entrance gate and Satsang Bhavan will be finished before 22nd January. The work on the night shelter and pilgrim assistance center was completed in 2023 iself. The entrance gate is also nearing completion. Initially, only the structural work was completed in the Satsang Bhavan, but now the entire Satsang Bhavan will be ready before 22nd January.
The construction work, including mudwork, leveling, tiling, flooring, windows, and doors, is progressing rapidly in the 650 square meter Satsang Bhavan. Under the supervision of the Uttar Pradesh Construction Corporation, the stage in the Satsang Bhavan has already been prepared. According to Assistant Engineer BV Niranjan Kumar, approximately 300 to 350 devotees can assemble in the Satsang Bhavan. The construction work, which began on 1st December, will be completed by 22nd January.
How the restoration work gained impetus under the Yogi government
It was in 2017, after the Yogi Adityanath-led government came into power, that the files and paper work on the restoration work of Dashrath Mahal saw the light of day. On 16th February 2021, the work began to restore the ancient splendour of Dashrath Mahal under the Yogi government. Rs 3 crores was pumped into the restoration work by the BJP government for renovation and beautification of Dashrath Mahal.
Restoration included strengthening the facilities at Dashrath Mahal. The work began with the construction and revitalization of the Satsang Bhavan, entrance gate, night shelter, and pilgrim assistance center, giving it a tangible form.
The government, while implementing the process of restoration and strengthening the facilities at Dashrath Mahal, began the construction and revitalization of the Satsang Bhavan, entrance gate, night shelter, and pilgrim assistance center, giving it a tangible form through an investment of around Rs 3 crores.
Files on restoration work ate dust under Samajwadi Party rule
From being a government that ordered the cold-bloodied murder of kar sevaks and questioned Bhagwan Shri Ram’s existence in the SC, the SP government led by Akhilesh Yadav made efforts to restore Dashrath Mahal but the same remained confined to the files.
The provision of about Rs 2.4 crore was made for the renovation of Dashrath Mahal for the first time on 31st March 2013, but the restoration was continuously postponed for lack of political will, indecision and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Files kept moving from one table to the other, and the cost kept increasing with no work visible on the ground.
Dashrath Mahal Post-2017
The Dashrath Mahal is a key tourist destination in Ayodhya and has been decorated with attractive features that bring this historic structure to life. The facade lighting physically attracts the devotees towards Dasharatha Mahal. Its beauty provides aura with a very special decoration.
The building’s restoration includes strengthening the structure, lime-plastering, fortifying the outer walls, and decorating the existing structure according to the faith of the devotees. Paintings depicting the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram and verses from the Holy Ramcharitmanas are on display too.
Over 80 per cent of the work on Satsang Bhavan is complete and it will be fully operational by 22nd January. After its completion, devotees can participate in devotional singing and satsang, offering their devotion at the feet of Bhagwan Shri Ram.
The entrance gate reflects the preservation of the old grandeur while incorporating modernity. It is being coated with a long-lasting paint coating for a longer endurance. The night shelter will accommodate devotees whereas the pilgrim assistance center will inform devotees about the rich heritage, historical significance, cultural contributions, and spiritual importance of the place.
