Nepal sends sacred stones for Lord Ram statue at Ayodhya, temple trust says 'no idea'

New Delhi: Lord Ram temple in northern Indian city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is expected to be inaugurated on 1 January, 2024. The construction work is in full swing to meet the deadline. Amid this, neighbouring country Nepal is said to have dispatched two stones from Kali Gandaki river which is believed to be used to carve the idol.

According to a report by The Hindu, two shilas (stones), around seven feet long and weighing over 350 tonnes, are set to arrive at Ayodhya from Nepal’s Kali Gandaki river.

The report quoted priests from Janaki temple (Janakpur) in Nepal saying that the stones will be used to carve the idol of Lord Ram.

However, as per an official from the temple trust in Ayodhya, there has been no clarity on whether the stones from Nepal will be used to build the idol.

Nepal gift for Ayodhya temple

Chief of Janaki temple Mahant Ramtapeshwar Das said the huge pieces of stones were identified by a team of experts, including geologists and technicians. They spent weeks on the ground to find the appropriate stones.

“The shortlisted stones, [weighing] around 350 tonnes, will be taken to Ayodhya as a gift. The stones would reach before month end,” Das was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

He said that the shila will last for thousands of years and will not get damaged by earthquakes.

‘Will strengthen Nepal-India religious ties’

Bimalendra Nidhi, Central Committee Member, Nepali Congress said the exchange of Himalayan stones will strengthen the religious ties between Nepal and India.

He also said that he has put an idea forward that the people of Janakpur also gift a metallic Shiv Dhanush to be displayed in the Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya.

‘No idea about stones’

The report mentioned office of general secretary of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerath Kshetra saying that the trust has no idea about the stones being sent to Ayodhya.

However, as per the report, general secretary Champat Rai in November 2022 had sent a letter to the Janaki Temple, welcoming the idea of getting stones from Kali Gandaki river to build the statue of Lord Ram.

Meanwhile, a senior member of Kshetra said the idea was discussed in one of the meetings of the trust, in November. “We are still not sure whether to build the idol from rock from Nepal or from Makrana marble, which is commonly used in India to build idols of gods and goddesses in big temples,” the report quoted the member as saying.

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