Ayodhya Ram Mandir: The grand Ram Temple, built on a sprawling area of 700 acres, is currently the subject of much discussion. This temple in Ayodhya is associated with the victory of a 500-year battle, religious faith, mythological significance, belief, and the birthplace of Lord Rama.
The construction of the temple is almost complete, and preparations for its consecration are underway, with the date set for January 22, 2024 which will be recorded as a golden day in history. The inauguration of the magnificent Ram Temple in Ayodhya is akin to a massive celebration for devotees of Sanatan Dharma.
It’s noteworthy that besides the main temple in Ayodhya, work is also progressing on the construction of 7 additional temples in the vicinity of the birthplace. These include temples dedicated to the Guru of Lord Rama, Brahmarishi Vashishtha, Brahmarishi Vishwamitra, Maharishi Valmiki, Sage Agastya, the Ram devotee Kevat, King Nishad, and Mata Shabari. The construction of these temples is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
However, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will not house the idol of Goddess Sita. You might wonder how can Lord Rama be without Mother Sita? The images you have seen so far depict Rama and Sita together. So why won’t there be a statue of Goddess Sita in the grand temple in Ayodhya? The mention of Rama and Sita’s companionship is found in the following verse of Ramcharitmanas, which translates to, I bow to Lord Shri Ramchandra, the ruler of the Raghu dynasty, whose complexion is like the blue lotus, whose limbs are soft, and who holds the invincible bow and beautiful arrow in his hands, and who is accompanied by the charming Goddess Sita in the left part of his body.
This verse from Ramcharitmanas also mentions the companionship of Rama and Mata Sita. So why won’t there be a statue of Mata Sita in the grand temple in Ayodhya? Let’s find out what the reason behind this is.
Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust, explained that the sanctum sanctorum where baby Ramlala will be placed will not have any idol of Mata Sita. Only the idol of Ramlala will be installed here. The idol of Ramlala will be in the form of a 5-year-old child. In other words, it will be a form of the Lord where he is not married.
This is the reason why there won’t be a statue of Mata Sita here because Ramlala will be in the form of a child. When Lord Rama and Mata Sita got married, Rama was 27 years old.
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