The old idol of Ram Lalla, kept in a makeshift shrine, will be placed in front of the new idol which will be consecrated at the temple here on January 22, said Govind Dev Giri, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

He also said that more than Rs 1,100 crore has so far been spent in constructing the Ram Temple and another Rs 300 crore might be needed to complete the work.

A 51-inch Ram Lalla idol was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple last week. Three idols of Lord Ram were built from which the one sculpted by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj has been selected for "Pran Prathistha".

When asked what would happen to the other two idols, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said, "We shall place them in the temple with all honour and respect. One of the idols will be kept with us since we will need it to measure the clothes and ornaments of Prabhu Shri Ram." About the original Ram Lalla idol, Giri said, "It will be placed in front of Ram Lalla. The original idol is very important. It is five to six inches in height and cannot be seen from a distance of 25 to 30 feet. That is why we needed a bigger idol." When asked about the cost incurred in constructing the Ram temple he said, "More than Rs 1,100 crore have been spent and it is likely that Rs 300 crore more will be needed since the construction is not complete yet. One storey is completed and we are going to build one more storey." On the selection of the Ram Lalla idol sculpted by Arun Yogiraj, Giri said, "It was very difficult for us to choose one idol out of three. All of them are very beautiful all followed the criteria provided by us." "The first criterion was that the face should be child-like with a divine glow. Lord Ram was "ajaanbaahu" (a person whose arms reach near the knees). So the arms should be of that length." The one chosen for the consecration ceremony was "stout and had a good personality". The limbs were in the correct proportion, the treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said.

"The delicate nature of the child was also visible to us while the ornaments were also very nicely and delicately engraved. It increased the beauty of the idol," he said.

Asked how much time the trust members took to select the best among the three idols, Giri said, "I went to Ayodhya every month and visited the places where the idols were being carved. Those sites were barred from the public. The sculptors took around four to five months to build the idols. After those were finished, we took a look at the idols for a day and took a decision." After 500 years, a special event is being organised in India, and "we see it as Deepavali", he said. "We celebrate Diwali each year, but this is a historic one. After so much struggle, Lord Ram will be seated in his original place with love and respect. This is the feeling which is prevailing in the country." Giri said that the youths of the country are tilting towards spiritualism. "They are intellectuals. They think logically and need scientific proof. Yet they are engrossed in spiritual and nationalistic emotions." Taking a jibe at those making snide comments on Sanatan Dharma, he said people must understand what Dharma means.

"It is neither religion nor is it the way of worship. Dharma is the underlying laws that govern nature and faith. You may or may not believe in science but scientific principles exist. In the same way, the principles of Dharma are eternal. People who understand and follow them benefit while those who ignore them don't gain any benefit," Giri added.

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