Our Heritage Revisited: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Ayodhya

Over the last few years, tourism in Ayodhya has been further heavily influenced. After finally winning the long-drawn legal dispute, a new Ram Mandir was constructed. Dedicated to Lord Ram in his child form, the temple opened its door for worship after the Pran Pratistha ceremony on 22nd January 2024 (Pran Pratistha प्राण प्रतिष्ठा is the sacred Hindu ritual that breathes divine life into a newly carved idol). Although the present structure began its construction in 2020, the temple has its roots centuries back and is built at the site of the earlier temple razed down by the Mughals invaders centuries ago.

The temple houses the idol of Ram Lalla, the child form of the lord. Adorned with elaborate jewelry and offerings of common toys made of silver, the idol of Ram Lalla inside the temple represents the five-year old form of Lord Ram.

In the temple's garbha griha, the newer idol also has the smaller and older idol of Ram Lala that was worshiped in a nearby tent for decades. The original, older Ram Lalla idol is a small 5 to 6 inch divine sculpture that “appeared” inside the “Babri Masjid” on the night of 22/12/1945 and served as the chief litigant for the Hindu side in the title suit. It was kept in a makeshift tent/structure under a tarp (tirpal) for decades before being moved to a temporary structure in March 2020

Photography is not permitted, taken their website

Carved out of black stone, the newer idol of Ram Lalla sits adorning elaborate gold jewelry, with each of them chosen after extensive research about the appearance and grandeur of Lord Ram Details can be read here: https://upayodhya.com/articles/ram-lalla-idol-jewelry-guide

Outside the garba griha are the statutes of Jay and Vijay, the gate keepers of Vaikunth who due to a curse were born on earth as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha in the Satya Yug, Ravan and Kumbhakarn in the Treta Yug, and finally Shishupal and Dantavakra in the Dvapar Yug. With the main temple dedicated to Lord Rama, the extended four corners have temples of Lord Surya, Goddess Bhagwati, Lord Ganesh, and Lord Shiv.

On a floor above we have temple with idols of Ram darbar - could not be on the main temple since this is dedicated to the young Ramchandraji - when he was obviously not married. This was consecrated on 5/6/25.