After four years, works on Ram Temple resume

After four years, works on Ram Temple resume

Artisans have returned to work at the Sri Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas Karyashala here to prepare the structure of Ram Temple — a job that is already 60 per cent complete. Works resumed at the Karyashala during Navratri on October 1, after a gap of four years.

Since last month three workers from Rajasthan have been engaged for cutting stones and preparing pillars of the 260 ft long, 140 ft broad and 128 ft high temple. As proposed, there would be 212 pillars in the temple - 106 of 16.6 feet height on the first floor and remaining 106 of 14.6 ft height on the second floor.

Amrit Lal was first engaged for the job in 1995. He went back to Rajasthan in 2007 after works stopped four years back. “I got a call from VHP people in September to return to work, and then I came recently,” Lal told The Pioneer.

“On some days, there are so many visitors that it is difficult to work. Everyone wants to know each and everything about pillars and bricks gathering dust at the workshop,” he added.

Lal is assisted by two other colleagues Bachche Lal and Lakkhi Ram.. They have been involved in the making of Akshardham Temple of Gandhinagar and New Delhi. The VHP has made arrangement of their stay at the Karyashala itself to see to that the work is expedited.

“It will take one of them at least 6 months to prepare one pillar of the Ram Temple. If there is a need, more workers would be engaged,” Girish Bhai, the supervisor at the workshop said.

As many as 108 pillar — of 16.6 foot each — have been already prepared at the workshop situated just 2 km from the Ramjanmabhoomi. One hundred fifty out of 180 beams, which would be placed over the pillars, are also ready. “Nearly 60 per cent of the stone work is complete,” VHP spokesman Prakash Sharma said.

It will take one full year for artisans to give these pillars and other structure the shape of a temple. Former head of the Bajrang Dal, Sharma claimed the work had stopped at Karyashala due to limited supply of raw material and now that everything has been sorted out and the legal battle was reaching its logical end, the outfit decided to resume the work.