From Stone To Sanctum: Master Sculptors Share Their Experiences Of Crafting The Ramlalla Idol In Ayodhya

As the consecration of the Ram temple draws near, the completion of the divine idol of Ramlalla destined to grace the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple is also entering its final stages.

Satyanarayan Pandey, Ganesh Bhat, and Arun Yogiraj are the three sculptors involved in crafting the Ramlalla Murti for the temple.

Each of the sculptors have created one idol and the Trust managing the Ram Mandir Temple will now select the most suitable one among the three, which will be placed in the garbhagriha on 22 January, while the other two will find their place in other sections of the Ram Mandir.

Among the three, Satyanarayan Pandey, an adept sculptor from Rajasthan, tells Swarajya, “All of my family's collective experience has been devoted in crafting this sacred idol of Ramlalla. Our efforts have etched the divine features so distinctly, that it will not merely appear as a statue but will evoke the presence of Ramlalla himself before the eyes of the devotees."

Pandey comes from a lineage of sculptors in Rajasthan and has been part of creating several murtis, including those for the Isckon temple, Swami Narayan temple, Reliance, and Birla temples.

“Many of his works have been carved out in white Makrana marble, and the Ramlalla idol will also be crafted from the same pristine white stone.” shared his son Puneet, who is also working with his father in Ayodhya for the past seven months.

He says, “This stone is nearly 90 years old, and has been with us for the last 40 years. The stone now stands unique and is not available anymore, as its mines are no longer active. We believe it was Shree Ramlalla and Shree Hanuman who chose this stone for his sacred representation at the temple.”

The team including, Satyanarayan, his two sons, and other members are working in Ayodhya to bring out the 51-inch-tall idol.

He adds, “The design instructions have been the same. While, the style of each of the sculptors is different and brings in diverse sets of skills and vision.”

“The stone we are using is white makrana, and the other idols are being carved out of Nellikaru rocks, known as Shyama Shila or Krishna Shila from Karnataka.”

At present they are at the finishing stages of their work, aiming for completion within the next two days.

He adds, “Hum Ram Lalla aur Hanuman ji ki aadesh pe apna karya kar rahe hai. Jab veh isse swikar karenge, tab hum samjhenge ki humaara karya samaapt hai.”

(We are working on the instructions of the Ramlalla and Hanuman. As an artist, I can say that this will get over tomorrow, but it is for the divine to decide and accept when his representation is perfectly completed.)

While the family from Jaipur is working to bring out the finest vision in their carving, artists Ganesh Bhat and Arun Yogiraj have successfully completed the crafting of their murtis and have handed them over to the temple trust.

Sculptor Ganesh Bhat tells Swarajya, “The vision illustrates specialties and styles from different shailis across India, that have been composed in the intricate carvings on the idol.”

Bhat comes from Idagunji, near Honnavar Taluka of Karnataka. He tells, “My father was the head priest of the Idagunji Ganesh Temple, which is known to have the oldest Ganesha idol in the world.”

“Growing up there while helping my father with the temple, I was always captivated by the idol and the decorations of the temple — the shapes, forms, aesthetic sense and beauty that drove me towards understanding and engaging with traditional Indian art forms.”

He began drawing at the age of eight and, after completing basic education, immersed himself in learning the art of sculpting under the guidance of his Guru Devalakunda D Vadiraj and later under Vidyalankara S K Ramachandra Rao.

For 18 years, he was also a teacher, imparting knowledge to over 700 students in traditional Indian art.

For crafting the Ramalalla idol, Bhat stayed in Ayodhya since the last seven months, bringing together his 45 years of experience in sculpting, with a team of seven artisans, including his disciples, and also their apprentices who received the opportunity to carve the murti from the Krishna Shila.

He points to the stone's hardness and high density but trusts his familiarity with the stone to skillfully handcraft it.

As he awaits the completion of all the idols, he adds, "This has been profoundly special to me and a majestic experience working on the sacred grounds of Ayodhya to create the murti that stands as one of its kind in the world."

Further, Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj has also finished work on crafting the idol portraying Lord Ram in his childhood. He is the son of noted sculptor Yogiraj Shilpi and hails from a family of Mysuru palace artists.

Previously, Arun used his skills to craft the statue of Sri Adi Shankaracharya installed at Kedarnath and a statue of Subash Chandra Bose installed at India Gate or Kartavya Path in Delhi.

While the artists shared their experiences of working on this opportunity, they also emphasised that the specific details and photos of the idol cannot be disclosed yet, and await the moment for the devotees to experience it for themselves, with the opening up of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.