VHP’s Ram temple model expected to be altered to increase structure’s height, add floor

An additional floor may be added to the Ram Mandir, making it a three-floor complex

February 21, 2020

The map prepared by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) some 30 years ago for building a grand Ram Mandir at Ayodhya could be altered to raise the height of the proposed structure from 125 feet to 160 feet and add an additional third floor. Nripendra Mishra, the head of the temple construction committee, will hold discussions with experts and other concerned groups to finalise the temple’s design, plan for all construction-related works and when the construction will be started. For his part, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday has asked members of the newly constituted Ram temple trust to ensure that construction work on the temple is conducted harmoniously and without any bitterness, the trust’s general secretary said Champat Rai on Friday.

On Thursday, members of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust including the general secretary Champat Rai, Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, and Anil Mishra met Nripendra Mishra, the head of the temple construction committee, during which they discussed various issues related to the construction of the proposed temple.

The VHP’s map proposes the temple to have a length of 270 feet, breadth of 135 feet and height of 125 feet.

Earlier the VHP insisted on the model based on the old design. In 1987, architect Chandrakant Sompura had prepared a model of the proposed temple based on the VHP’s map after being asked by VHP international president Ashok Singhal. “The temple will be built on the basis of the VHP’s map. There can be changes to its proposed shape and scale,” Swami Govind Dev Giri, a member of the Trust, told PTI.

Another member of the Trust said, “We have received suggestions to make changes to the old map in order to give an even grander form to the proposed temple. Now, we are brainstorming on building a three-storey structure instead of the two stories proposed earlier, as well as adding a pavilion and detailing to the 35-feet-high ‘shikhar'”. The height of the proposed temple could also be increased to 160 feet from 125 feet decided earlier by the VHP, he said.

The proposed Ram temple is expected to be built in Lord Vishnu’s favourite octagonal shape and its structure will be made completely with stone without the use of iron in the elevation. Approximately 1.75 lakh cubic feet stone will be required to build the temple. The temple construction work can take over three years, the sources said.

The VHP’s map proposes the temple to have a length of 270 feet, breadth of 135 feet and height of 125 feet. Every floor will have 106 pillars and will be supported by 185 beams. The temple doors will be made of wood and will be attached to marble frames. While the ground floor will have a Ram idol, the first floor will house a Ram Darbar. There will also be a garbha graha (sanctum sanctorum) with a sitting area for the priests. The temple will have five entrances — the Sinh Dwar and at the Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, pooja kaksh (prayer area) and garbh graha (sanctum sanctorum).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked members of the newly constituted Ram temple trust to ensure that construction work on the temple is conducted harmoniously and without any bitterness, the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai said on Friday. President of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and three other members called on the prime minister at his residence here on Thursday and invited him to visit Ayodhya for the ‘bhoomi pujan’, or ground-breaking ceremony.

Though a date for the ceremony is not finalized it is widely believed that construction ceremony (bhoomi pujan) is expected to be conducted on Ram Navami day – April 2.

Describing it as a courtesy meeting, Rai said the Prime Minister also said nothing should be done to disturb the atmosphere of the country.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad is also working on celebrations for a ‘RamoUtsav’, in the run-up to Ram Navami, from March 25 till April 8. VHP workers will reach out to all 2.75 lakh villages which had contributed to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the organisation’s members said.

With inputs from PTI

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