Ram Lalla will be perched atop lotus

Champat Rai, the Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, declared on Monday that the consecration rituals for the idol of Lord Ram, known as Ramalala, in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir, will commence on January 16 and extend until January 22.

- BISWAJEET BANERJEE

Addressing the media in Ayodhya, Champat Rai disclosed that the statue crafted by Karnataka's Arun Yogiraj would be placed on the pedestal of the sanctum sanctorum. "The statue, weighing between 150 and 200 kg, depicts Ramlala standing with a bow and arrow, exuding a regal and Vishnu-incarnation aura. Ramlala will be seated on a lotus flower in the sanctum sanctorum, with an estimated height of about 8 feet, including the lotus," he revealed.