Yogi government to install 7-ft tall statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya museum

Before a magnificent statue of Lord Ram comes up in Ayodhya, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to install a 7-feet statue of Lord Ram at a museum dedicated to the deity at the Shodh Sansthan in Ayodhya.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to unveil the statue on June 7 when he visits Ayodhya to inaugurate the nine-day long birthday celebrations of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (RJN).

“The single-piece rosewood statue has been purchased from Karnataka Emporium for Rs 35 lakh. It portrays Kodamb Ram, one of the five stages of Lord Ram,” said Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay.

Kodamb Ram, worshipped in South India, depicts the stage of Ram’s life when Sita was kidnapped by Ravan. The statues from this phase of Ram’s life show him alone, without Sita and Laxman.

Director of Shodh Sansthan YP Singh said the museum had more than 2,500 artefacts related to Lord Ram but it would be for the first time that a statue depicting Kodamb Ram was being installed in Ayodhya.

Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, senior member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and successor of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, said: “There are five stages in the life of Lord Ram — Baal Ram, Raja Ram, Dulha Ram, Banvasi Ram and Kodamb Ram.”

According to Ayodhya seers, Baal Ram and Raja Ram stages are worshipped in entire North India while Dulha Ram stage is worshipped in the Mithila region of Bihar.

In Madhya Pradesh, Banvasi Ram stage is worshipped where Sita and Laxman are shown along with Lord Ram.

“The Kodamb Ram stage is especially worshipped in South India where Lord Ram is depicted alone as Sita was kidnapped in this stage,” said Mahant Kanhaiya Das.

Earlier, the government had approved a proposal to install a statue of Lord Ram on the banks of Saryu but due to objections from union environment ministry the venue has been shifted.

Three places have been shortlisted and will be finalised soon.

The statue’s height was fixed at 221 metres but later it was brought down to 100 metres.

The government has also approved a proposal to install a statue of Lord Ram and Nishadraj in Shringverpur, a tourist destination around 45 km from Prayagraj. Shringverpur is associated with Nishadraj, king of the fishermen community. In ancient India, it was also the capital of Nishadraj kingdom.

The government has allocated a budget of Rs 34 crore for the development of Shrinverpur as the next tourist destination that has a mythological connect.