Puri: Ahead of consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, an artist from Odisha’s Puri, Saswat Ranjan Sahoo, has created a replica of the temple using matchsticks.
According to reports, it took him six days to complete this 14 inches long and seven inches wide replica of Ayodhya’s Ram temple, which he has made using 936 matchsticks. “I don’t think that it is possible to make a Ram Mandir replica using matchsticks smaller than this,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
The 20-year-old wishes to present the Ram Mandir replica to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I want somebody to help me do this,” he said.
Saswat had earlier a created a miniature model of hockey stick with matchsticks to honour India’s men’s hockey team, which created history in the Tokyo Olympics by winning a medal after 41 years. On World Bicycle Day in 2021, he had created a unique model to promote this non-polluting mode of transport, using 3653 matchsticks, and also a ‘Shiva Linga’ ahead of Maha Shivratri. Sahoo with 400 matchsticks.
Ayodhya, the revered city associated with Lord Ram, is in a festive mood as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lead the rituals at the newly-built Ram Mandir. The 380×250 feet temple has been built in the traditional north-Indian Nagara style. Its 392 pillars, 44 doors and walls have elaborate carvings of gods and goddesses. The idol of five-year-old Lord Ram has been placed at the sanctum sanctorum.
