Sculptor creates miniature model of Ram Lalla statue in Ayodhya

Ayodhya (UP), March 25 (IANS) Well-known sculptor Arun Yogiraj who created the Ram Lalla idol for the Ayodhya temple, has now made a miniature version of the deity. The sculptor took to X to share the images which have gone viral.“After the selection of the main idol of Ram Lalla, I carved another small Ram Lalla statue in stone in Ayodhya, Yogiraj said on X while sharing the pics.Earlier, Yogiraj had also shared a picture of the special tools he had used to carve the eyes of the statue.He wrote, "Thought of sharing this silver hammer with the golden chisel using which I carved the divine eyes of Ram Lalla."The 51-inch-tall idol which shows Ram Lalla as a five-year-old standing on a lotus was created by Yogiraj out of Krishna Shila (black schist).The rock was brought from Karnataka after it was found and excavated during a levelling exercise on an agricultural plot.After the idol was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the newly-built Ram temple, the Karnataka-based sculptor had said that he considers himself the "luckiest person" on Earth."I feel I am the luckiest person on the Earth now. The blessing of my ancestors, my family members and Lord Ram has always been with me. Sometimes I feel like I am in a dream world," he had said.Yogiraj, one of the most sought-after sculptors in the country, comes from a family with a rich legacy of the craft as his father and grandfather were also renowned sculptors.After completing his MBA, Yogiraj worked in a private company for a while but wanted to follow his ancestors' legacy.Since 2008, he has been creating statues and gaining nationwide recognition.The 30-foot statue of Subhas Chandra Bose, in the grand canopy behind the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, was also crafted by Yogiraj.Among his other works, a 12-foot-tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath and a 21-foot-tall Hanuman statue at Chunchanakatte in Mysore District have been widely appreciated.--IANSamita/rad

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