Arun Yogiraj: The sculptor whose Ram Lalla idol will be installed at Ayodhya temple
Arun Yogiraj: The sculptor whose Ram Lalla idol will be installed at Ayodhya temple
D-Day is right around the corner. The highly-anticipated ‘Pran Pratishtha’ or consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is scheduled for 22 January and preparations are in full-swing for the big day.
And before the arrival of the big day, it appears the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the body in-charge of the temple and its construction, has made its selection of the Ram idol that will be placed inside the premises. A formal announcement is awaited.
However, on Monday, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi revealed that the Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj’s Ram Lalla idol had been selected, writing on X: “Where Rama is, there is Hanuman. The selection of the idol for the Prana Pratishtapana of Lord Rama in Ayodhya has been finalised. Renowned sculptor of our country, our proud Mr @yogiraj_arun.”
“ಎಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಮನೋ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಹನುಮನು”
ಅಯೋಧ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮನ ಪ್ರಾಣ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾಪನಾ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ವಿಗ್ರಹ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಅಂತಿಮಗೊಂಡಿದೆ. ನಮ್ಮ ನಾಡಿನ ಹೆಸರಾಂತ ಶಿಲ್ಪಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆಯ ಶ್ರೀ @yogiraj_arun ಅವರು ಕೆತ್ತಿರುವ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮನ ವಿಗ್ರಹ ಪುಣ್ಯಭೂಮಿ ಅಯೋಧ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾಪನೆಗೊಳ್ಳಲಿದೆ. ರಾಮ ಹನುಮರ ಅವಿನಾಭಾವ ಸಂಬಂಧಕ್ಕೆ ಇದು… pic.twitter.com/VQdxAbQw3Q
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) January 1, 2024
Earlier, former Karnataka chief minister and BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa had announced the news, praising the sculptor from his state. “The idol of Lord Rama sculpted by the sculptor Arun Yogiraj of Mysuru has been selected for installation in the magnificent Sri Rama Mandir of Ayodhya, which has doubled the pride and happiness of the entire Rama devotees of the state. Heartfelt congratulations to ‘Shilpi @yogiraj_arun’.”
For Arun Yogiraj, this is another feather in his cap. He has multiple achievements to his name – including being the sculptor responsible for the Netaji statue at India Gate as well as the Adi Shankaracharya statue at the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand.
Sculpting his way to fame
Arun Yogiraj, hailing from Mysuru, is no stranger to the art of sculpting. He comes from a family of Mysuru palace artists, with his father being the renowned Yogiraj Shilpi.
In an interview to The Print earlier, the young artist says that despite his family’s background and his interest in sculpting, his mother didn’t want him to join the profession, wishing he would find a stable job that did not require such intense labour.
arun_yogiraj/Instagram
“My mother did not want anyone from my family to become a sculptor, so I was studying too. I completed my MBA from Mysore university. For the sake of my mother, I also took up a trainee’s job in the HR department of a private company,” Yogiraj has been quoted as saying to The Print.
However, despite his job, he continued assisting his father in sculpting, but was unhappy. He felt he belonged only in a sculptor’s workshop and not behind a desk.
And three months into his job in the year 2008, he decided to quit, bringing tears to his mother’s eyes. Since then, he has been fully immersed in the field of sculpting and over the years began receiving high-profile jobs.
Please read our related coverage on the Ram Temple
Ram Mandir inauguration: Did Nihang Sikhs start the temple movement over a century back?
Journey of Faith: Who is Shabnam, the Muslim woman travelling from Mumbai to Ayodhya on foot?
Arun Yogiraj’s big projects
Since taking on sculpting full time, Arun Yogiraj has been commissioned for several high-profile projects. For instance, he was responsible for the 14.5-ft white marble statue of the last maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, unveiled in 2016. Similarly, he was the man behind the 15-ft white marble statue of BR Ambedkar, which was unveiled by then Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah in 2018.
In 2021, he gained the limelight when it was revealed that he was the man behind the 12-ft-tall statue of the Vedic scholar Adi Shankaracharya, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Kedarnath Temple in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand.
arun_yogiraj/Instagram
Speaking of that sculpture, Yogiraj said that it was an intense experience. “It was nine months of sculpting, since it was commissioned, almost like giving birth,” he said to Swarajya then.
Following this, in 2022, he was picked by the Ministry of Culture for the ambitious Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose project at India Gate. Bagging the project, though a proud moment for Yogiraj, also meant sacrifices. According to a report in The Print, he had to back out of several other commissions, including from abroad. This meant returning advances and even having to pay a penalty in some cases, leading to financial losses.
However, he remained unfazed and he, along with his team began working on the project, which saw the installation of a 28-ft-tall black granite statue of Netaji at India Gate. Speaking of the project, Yogiraj said it was “not easy at all” owing to the tight deadlines and the work involved.
With a short amount of time at hand, he worked tirelessly with his team day and night. And his hard work paid off, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the artwork. “I’ve carved thousands of sculptures and idols, but have never got this kind of respect until now,” an emotional Yogiraj said.
Yogiraj’s different art has also earned him different accolades through the years, including Karnataka’s prestigious Jakanachari Award in 2021.
Arun Yogiraj and the Ram Lalla idol
For the Ram Temple, the trust had met last Friday to decide among the three designs under consideration, of which one was submitted by Arun Yogiraj. When asked about the criteria for selection, trust member Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra had told news agency ANI that the “idol speaks to you and you get mesmerised”.
Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Champat Rai added, “The one with the most divine look and bearing a distinct impression of Ram Lalla would be selected for Pran Pratishtha.”
And Arun Yogiraj’s design for the idol is: A five-year-old Ram Lalla on Krishna Shila (a type of stone). Krishna Shila has been taken out from Karakala in Karnataka.
And on his design being selected, his entire family is delighted, as his efforts and hard work have paid off. His mother said that it is the happiest moment for the entire family. "I wanted to see him crafting the sculpture, but he said he would take me on the last day, I will go on the day of the installation.” Expressing her happiness further, she said, “I wish Arun’s father was alive today, he would have been even happier. The whole world will see the idol of Ram Lalla made by my son... there can be no greater happiness than this.”
Yogiraj’s wife, Vijeta, also expressed happiness over the news. She was quoted as saying, “I am speechless, I am very happy and feeling proud.” She added that he has never compromised on his work. He always gives his 100 per cent, conducts thorough research, and is dedicated to his work. He devotes a significant amount of time, continuously working until he feels the “presence of God on the stone he is sculpting”.
She added, however, that while they were elated and receiving congratulatory messages, they were still awaiting official confirmation from the temple trust.
With inputs from agencies
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