In Satyuga, Lord Vishnu took the eighth incarnation to end the evil and untruth from this world. This incarnation took place in the form of Shri Ram Chandra, the son of King Dasharath and Kaushalya of Ayodhya. Shri Ram is a symbol of dignity, compassion, kindness, truth, virtue and religion. This world also calls him Maryada Purushottam. By chanting his name only, poison becomes like nectar, enemies become friends, fire becomes cool and mountains become like dust. Perhaps that is why it is said that the name of Ram is bigger than Ram. Today Shri Ram is in the discussion of the people and the reason for this is the newly built Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya after a long battle of religion.
For the construction of this temple dedicated to Lord Shri Ram, Bhoomi Pujan was done on 5 August 2020 at the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram. 22 January 2024 is such a historic day in the history of India when the Pran Pratishtha of Ramlal was done in this grand temple. This Ram temple reflects the cultural and spiritual heritage associated with Lord Ram. Today, every Sanatani devotee living in any corner of the world wants to visit Ayodhya once and have darshan of Lord Shri Ram. The construction of Ram temple is an important event in Indian history, which symbolizes the fulfillment of a deep religious and cultural aspiration.
Research shows that Lord Ram was born in 5114 BC. The Navami of hindu month of Chaitra is celebrated as Ram Navami. It is celebrated as a very big festival in Sanatan Dharma. Lord Shri Ram is worshipped, prasad is distributed, and wishes are given to loved ones. People send Lord Shree Ram images, photos, wallpapers to each other as wishes through social media and phone messages.
Features and Building Details of Shri Ram Temple
This construction of Ram temple is a proud historical step which symbolizes the faith, dedication and sentiments of the Sanatan society. Copper plates, pink sandstone, granite stone and high-grade artificial stone have been used in the structure of this earthquake-resistant three-storey temple, inspired by intricate carvings and traditional Indian architecture. According to experts, the estimated age of this temple is 2500 years, which has 392 pillars and 44 doors made of teak wood plated with gold. The idols installed in the temple are made of 6 crore years old Shaligram rocks brought from Gandaki River Nepal. The bell made of ashtadhatu used in the temple weighs 2100 kg, whose sound can be heard up to 15 kilometers away.
The idol of Lord Shri Ram’s child form has been placed in the main sanctum sanctorum of the temple. There is Shri Ram Darbar on the first floor and 5 pavilions in the temple – Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prayer Mandap, Kirtan Mandap. Four temples dedicated to Shri Ganesh, Maa Durga, Mahadev and Suryadev have been built at the four corners of the temple’s perimeter. The temple of Goddess Annapurna is built in the northern direction and Hanuman Ji’s temple is built in the southern direction. Inside the temple complex, other temples dedicated to Maharishi Valmiki, Vashishtha, Vishwamitra, Agastya, Raja Nishad, Shabari and Devi Ahilya are also built. There is also a holy pond called Sita Kund in the temple complex. The ancient temple of Lord Shiva on Kuber mound in the south-west direction has been renovated and a statue of Jatayu has also been placed there.
Historical Existence of Ram Temple
It is known from ancient texts and research that the history of the construction of Ram temple is very ancient. After Shri Ram took Jal Samadhi, Ayodhya was deserted for some time but his son Kush once rebuilt Ayodhya. After this construction, the Suryavansh continued for the next 44 generations. The last king of this dynasty, Kaushalraj Brihadbal, was killed by Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata war and after the Mahabharata war, Ayodhya again became deserted.
After this, about 100 years before Christ, one day, while hunting, Emperor Vikramaditya of Ujjain reached Ayodhya, where he saw some miracle on this land. To search for this miracle, he met some Yogis and saints in the nearby forests and came to know that this is the Awadh land of Shri Ram. On the instructions of Yogis and saints, the emperor built a huge temple, well, lake etc. on 84 pillars of black Kasauti stone, whose grandeur was worth seeing.
After Vikramaditya, this temple was maintained and protected by many other kings. After this, after the death of the last patron King Jaichand in the Panipat war in the 11th century, the number of foreign invaders in India increased. They continued to loot and vandalize this temple, yet this temple survived till the reign of Sikandar Lodi in the 14th century and finally this temple was completely demolished by Babar in 1527-28 and Babri Masjid was built in its place.
Final Words
This city of Lord Ram, Ayodhya, situated at riverside of the Saryu, has been the karmabhoomi of thousands of great men. In ancient times, it was basically a city of palaces and temples. In the medieval period, foreigners attacked here many times, thousands of people were killed and the temple was demolished. Even today, the remains of temples related to Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religions can be seen here. After almost 500 years, a grand Ram temple is ready in Ayodhya today. This holy land is very important for Hindus. This is the Ram Janmabhoomi.