Even as preparations for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of ‘Ram Lalla’ are in full swing in Ayodhya, Muslim artisans here in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia are busy giving the final touch to another Ram temple, which will also hold a consecration ceremony on January 22.

Three Muslim artisans from Makrana in Rajasthan – Sajid, Sadat and Samir – have been involved in the temple’s construction near the famous Bhrigu temple in Ballia city.

Social worker Rajnikant Singh is supervising the temple’s construction, including the handling of public donations for it.

Speaking to PTI on Sunday, Singh said, "Perhaps Lord Ram's intention was that on January 22 he should be seated in his new temple in Ballia, which is why the temple is being built here.” “White stone (used in the temple’s construction) came here from Makrana in Rajasthan. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is being decorated with white stone only,” he said.

He added that the temple's 'shikhar' is 21-feet-high and a 6-feet-high main 'kalash' is also being installed over it.

Besides the consecration on January 22, ‘panchang puja’ will be held on January 17 and ‘vedi (altar) puja’ on January 18, Singh said.

The idol will be bathed in water brought from pilgrimage sites on January 20, followed by ‘vaastu puja’ on January 21, he said.

It is said that the idols of Lord Ram, Laxman and Goddess Sita being installed in the temple are about 300 years old. The idols are previously said to have been part of the temple inside Bhrigu Ashram, which was destroyed by floods in 1894 and 1905.

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