The Ram Lalla idol carved by Karnataka’s renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj will be consecrated in Ayodhya's Ram Mandir on January 22, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra confirmed on Monday.
"The Murti sculpted on Krishna Shila, by renowned sculptor Shri Arun Yogiraj, has been selected as Shri Vigraha of Bhagwan Shri Ramlalla Sarkar," the Temple Trust said in a post on X.
Earlier, veteran Karnataka BJP leader BS Yediyurappa had said that Arun Yogiraj's carved idol would be selected for the pran pratishtha in the Ram Mandir.
"The idol of Lord Rama sculpted by the sculptor Arun Yogiraj of Mysuru has been selected for installation in the magnificent Sri Rama Mandir of Ayodhya, which has doubled the pride and happiness of the entire Rama devotees of the state. Heartfelt congratulations to ‘Shilpi @yogiraj_arun’," the BJP leader had said.
Arun Yogiraj was among the three sculptors selected by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra to carve an idol of ‘Ram Lalla’.
The renowned sculptor has sculpted the idol of Adi Shankaracharya, which has been placed in Kedarnath and the statue of Subhash Chandra Bose which has been installed near India Gate in Delhi.
The Ram Mandir is set for opening on January 22 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.