Ayodhya: It took over four hours to instal the idol of Ram Lalla inside the sanctum sanctorum of Ram Temple here on Thursday.
An auspicious time was found to instal the 51-inch tall black stone idol, weighing 150-200 kg, amid rituals and chanting of Vedic mantras.
The immovable idol of Ram Lalla, sculpted by Mysuru-based artist Arun Yogiraj, was brought inside the sanctum sanctorum late on Wednesday night with the help of a crane. By Thursday evening, Lord Ram was formally seated in his right place.
As is the practice before starting any Hindu ritual, Lord Ganesha was invoked.
During the puja, the immovable idol was bathed in the water of holy rivers and other sacred materials.
Ganeshambikapujan, Varunpujan, Chaturvedokta Punyahvachan, Matrikapujjan, Vasordharapujan (Septa Ghrit Matrika pujan), Ayushya Mantra chant, Nandishraddha, Acharyadichiritvigvaran, Madhuparkpujan, Mandappravesh, Prithvi-Kurm-Anant-Varaah-Yagyabhumi-pujan, Digrakshan, Panchgavya-Prokshan, Mandapang and Vaastupujan were then performed to complete the ritual of idol installation, four days before the Pran Prathishta ceremony.
On Wednesday, a silver statue of Ram Lalla weighing 10 kg was taken around the Ram temple complex amid Vedic chanting as acharyas, engineers engaged in construction of the temple and security personnel showered flowers on the idol.
It was then placed on a palanquin and taken for a tour of Ayodhya city.
