Why Was Black Stone Chosen for the Ram Lalla Idol? Answer Revealed on CNN-News18’s Rising Bharat Summit – News18

Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, one of the electoral promises of the BJP and a long-standing demand, was finally dedicated to the nation on January this year. But have you ever wondered why the idol of Ram Lalla is black in colour?

In a conversation during CNN-News18’s Rising Bharat Summit on Tuesday, Ram Temple architect Ashish Sompura and historian and Ram Lalla idol jewellery designer Yatinder Mishra discussed the Ayodhya temple and how it came into being.

When asked why black stone was used for the idol, Mishra said: “Three idols were made — including one in white stone — of which the black idol was selected. The decision was up to the trust. But I believe that Lord Ram himself chose the idol to be selected for the temple. I don’t think there was any political compulsion.”

The construction work at the Ram temple complex in Ayodhya will be completed by December this year, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has said. Nearly 75 lakh devotees have visited the temple since the consecration of Ram Lalla idol on January 22, officials said.

Anil Mishra, member of the temple trust, said that currently about 1,500 workers have been employed and more than 3,500 additional workers will be deployed soon to speed up the construction of remaining two floors of the three-storey temple building.

The ground floor of the temple was built in December last year. A meeting of the temple construction committee was held recently and it was decided to complete all the constructions in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex by the end of this year, Mishra said.

The sanctum sanctorum is on the ground floor of the temple and the court of Lord Ram will be installed on the first floor as after having ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla, devotees will be able to have ‘darshan’ of Lord Ram’s court, he said.

The work of building the main spire and another spire of the grand temple is going on at a fast pace, while the peaks will be ready in 300 days, the temple trust member said. There will be a total of five peaks in the temple, of which three peaks were prepared before the consecration ceremony, Mishra said, adding that the main peak is being built 161 feet high with a layer of gold on it.