Voting to Select Lord Ram Lalla Idol for Ayodhya Temple Consecration Scheduled for Friday

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, responsible for the construction and management of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya, is set to hold a significant vote on Friday to determine the idol of Lord Ram Lalla, which will be installed inside the temple's sanctum sanctorum during the consecration ceremony scheduled for January 22.

According to sources, the voting will involve all three designs created by separate sculptors. The design receiving the most votes will be chosen for installation in the sacred shrine. Trust secretary Champat Rai has stated that a 51-inch-tall idol representing a five-year-old Lord Ram, known as Ram Lalla, will be selected from the three designs. The selection criteria include the idol's divineness and childlike appearance.

Ahead of the consecration ceremony and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ayodhya, Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Misra inspected the ongoing construction work on the Ram Janmabhoomi Path and the complex. He emphasized that the construction work is focused on quality rather than speed, divided into three phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by December 2023.

The consecration ceremony, spanning seven days from January 16, will feature various rituals, including purification ceremonies, idol processions, and sacred fire rituals, culminating in the consecration of the Lord Ram Lalla idol on January 22.