Ram Temple

Context:

Ram temple in Ayodhya was inaugurated on January 22

Ram Temple:

• Location – Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh
• Deity – Ram Lalla (infant Ram)
• Architecture – Nagara style of Architecture
  • 5 Mandapas (Hall) – Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prarthana, and Kirtan Mandaps.
  • Main entrance to the temple is called the Singh Dwar
  • Includes some Dravidian features like the presence of a boundary wall
  • Important Materials – Bansi Paharpur Pink Sandstone, Granite Stones, Special Bricks named Ram Shilas, Shaligram Rock and Ashtadhatu (a combination of Gold, Silver, Copper, Zinc, Lead, Tin, Iron, and Mercury)
• Unique Features –
  • Temple of Ram believed to have been built at Ram Janmabhoomi (the birthplace of Lord Shri Rama).
  • No iron or steel used in the construction – Built using traditional construction materials with an emphasis on sustainability. 
  • Soil from Thailand – As a gesture of international spiritual camaraderie, soil from Thailand has been sent for the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla
  • Circumambulatory passage engraved with 100 events from Valmiki’s Ramayana to present Ram Katha Darshan.
  • Historic well called Sita Koop is located near the temple

Ram Lalla Idol: The idol of Lord Shri Ram Lalla, made using Black stone, is in the form of a five-year-old child.

Nagara Architecture:

• Time period – 5^th CE, Late Gupta Period
• Popular in – North India
• Unique Features –
  • Panchayatan Style – 4 Subsidiary shrines along with main shrine
  • Built on a raised plinth
  • Sanctum sanctorum (where the idol of the deity rests) called Garbha Griha 
  • Vahana – Mount or vehicle of the main deity. It is placed just before the sanctum sanctorum.
  • Shikhara – A mountain-like spire above Garbha Griha
  • Vertical end of Shikhara is shaped like a horizontal fluted disc, called Amalak.
  • On the top of the Amalak, a spherical shape is placed, called Kalash.
  • Pradakshina Path – Circumambulatory passage around the garbha griha
  • Mandapas – Assembly hall which leads to the Sanctum Sanctorum. 
  • No grand boundary walls unlike the Dravida style

• 5 modes of Nagara architecture
  • Latina – Simple shikhara with square base and whose walls slope inwards to a point on top. Also called Rekha Prasada
  • Phamsana – Roofs do not curve inwards like the latina type, but they slope upwards on a straight incline.
  • Valabhi – Rectangular buildings with a roof that rises into a vaulted chamber.
  • Shekhari – Consists of the central latina spires with one or more rows of half spires added on either side and miniature shikharas clustered along the base and corner. Example – Dashavatara Vishnu Temple, Deogarh
  • Bhumija – Featured miniature spires in horizontal and vertical rows, creating a grid-like effect

Ayodhya city:

• Location – Uttar Pradesh
• Language – Awadhi
• On the banks of Saryu River
• Historical name – Saketa
• Important Kingdoms – Ikshvaku, Kannauj, Delhi Sultanate, Jaunpur Kingdom and Mughal Empire
• Significance – believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram
  • One of the 7 most important pilgrimage sites or Mokshdayini Sapt Puris for HindusCapital city of the kingdom of KosalaBuddhist Linkage – Buddha is s said to have resided in Ayodhya for some time.  
  • Jain Linkage – Jain traditions claim that five Tirthankaras were born at Ayodhya. 
• Important festivals – Ram Navami Mela, Shravan Jhula Mela, Ram Lila, Parikramas
• Important sites – Ramkot, Hanuman Garhi, Tulsi Smarak Bhawan, Shri Nageshwarnath Temple, Kanak Bhawan, Mani Parbat
• Recent development projects
  • Saryu River Front Project
  • Maharishi Valmiki International Airport
    • Decorated with murals depicting the Treta Yuga, the Hindu era during which Lord Ram is believed to have ruled over Ayodhya
  • Bhakti PathDharma Path
    • Decorated with Sun-shaped lights depicting the ‘Surya Vansh’ dynasty to which Lord Ram is said to have belonged
  • Latha Mangeshkar Chowk

Saryu River:

• Tributary of – Ganga
• At the confluence of rivers Karnali and Mahakali
• Flows through – Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh
• Significance –
  • Mentioned in Vedas and Ramayana
  • People take holy dip during Ram Navami
• Sarayu Nahar National Project – Involves interlinking of 5 rivers of Ghaghra, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini

Ramayana:

• Ramayana is an ancient Indian epic written by Maharishi Valmiki
• Language – Sanskrit
• Also known as – Adikavya (‘first epic’)
• Timeperiod – believed to be written during Treta Yuga
• Composed of 7 parts – Balakandam, Ayodhyakandam, Aranyakandam, Kishkinda kandam, Sundara kandam, Yuddha kandam and Uttara kandam.
• Deals with – All 4 Purusharthas like Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha
• Popular across – South and South-east countries

Ramayana and World:

• Thailand – Ayutthaya kingdom in Thailand is believed to have been based on the Ayodhya of the Ramayana
  • Ramakien, a version of the Ramayana, is Thailand’s national epic
• Cambodia – Angkor Wat temple complex, built in the 12th century, features murals from the Ramayana
• Laos – Story of Phra Ram is the national epic
• It has also spread to African and Caribbean nations (Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad, Tobago and Suriname) following the waves of Indentured labourers from British India

Source: The Indian Express

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Previous Year Question

The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the new Circuit House near Somnath Temple at Veraval. Which of the following statements are correct regarding Somnath Temple?
1. Somnath Temple is one of the Jyotirlinga shrines.
2. A description of the Somnath Temple was given by Al-Biruni.
3. Pran Pratishtha of Somnath Temple (installation of the present-day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a)
Explanation: Statement 3 is Incorrect. Then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, did the Pran Pratistha.

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