In a moment of great pride for sculptor Arun Yogiraj from Mysuru, his idol of Ram Lalla has been selected for installation at the upcoming grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The temple, slated for a grand opening on January 22, is anticipated to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Ram Lalla idol, crafted by Arun Yogiraj, has already been placed inside the sanctum sanctorum as part of the pre-consecration rituals leading up to the momentous consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple. Ahead of the highly anticipated event, Shree Mahalakshmi Sweets, a renowned sweet shop in Mysuru, gifted Arun Yogiraj and his family a special Ram Mandir replica made from a variety of sweets.
The selection of Arun Yogiraj’s Ram Lalla idol was announced by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart and former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in a post on January 2. Yediyurappa expressed his joy and congratulated Arun Yogiraj, stating, “The idol of Lord Rama sculpted by the sculptor Arun Yogiraj of Mysuru has been selected for installation in the magnificent Sri Rama Mandir of Ayodhya, which has doubled the pride and happiness of the entire Rama devotees of the state. Heartfelt congratulations to ‘Shilpi @yogiraj_arun’.”
In a gesture of celebration, Mysuru’s famous sweet shop, Shree Mahalakshmi Sweets, commemorated the occasion by presenting Arun Yogiraj and his family with a special Ram Mandir replica made entirely of various delectable sweets. This thoughtful gift adds to the joy surrounding the installation of Arun Yogiraj’s Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya.
Arun Yogiraj, an eminent sculptor from Karnataka, shared insights into the challenges he faced while sculpting the Ram Lalla idol. Emphasizing the importance of capturing both the divinity and child-like innocence of Lord Rama, Yogiraj began his intricate work about six to seven months ago. He expressed his extreme happiness about the selection and emphasized the need for people to appreciate the divine aspect of the statue.
Speaking to news agency PTI earlier this month, Arun Yogiraj said, “The idol should be of a child, who is divine too, because it is the statue of the incarnation of God. People who look at the statue should feel the divinity. Keeping the divinity aspect along with the child-like face in mind, I started my work about six to seven months ago. Now I am extremely happy. More than selection, people should appreciate it. Only then, I will be happy.”
Arun Yogiraj’s craftsmanship extends beyond the Ram Lalla idol; he is also recognized for sculpting the idol of Adi Shankaracharya, which has found its place in Kedarnath. Additionally, he created the statue of Subhash Chandra Bose, installed near India Gate in Delhi. Yogiraj’s contribution to sculpting revered figures demonstrates his artistic prowess and dedication to capturing the essence of divinity in his creations.
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