Yogi unveils Kodamb Ram statue, inspects Ayodhya projects

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath unveiled a seven-foot-tall rosewood statue of Lord Ram at the Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan on Friday and inspected various ongoing projects in the temple town.

Purchased from Karnataka, the Kodamb Ram statue depicts one of the five forms of Lord Ram and its installation in Ayodhya marks a first.

Adityanath visited galleries and released books and a postal cover at the Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan museum after unveiling the statue.

He also released a special cover on the Kodamb statue of Lord Ram by the Postal department, ‘Archaeological Report of Ayodhya’, ‘Ramleela journey of the Carribean countries’ and two other books.

The chief minister was in Ayodhya to inaugurate nine-day long birthday celebrations of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.

He also felicitated sculptors, painters and writers at the Shodh Sansthan. Besides, he released a document titled ‘World Tours of Lord Ram’ by Jitendra Kumar, principal secretary, Culture department.

Special folders gifted by the ambassadors of Iran and Honduras on Lord Ram’s international journey were handed over to the chief minister.

The projects that Adityanath inspected included the Bhajan Sthal at Ram Ki Paidi, under-construction bus station and beautification work at Guptar Ghat.

The UP tourism department is executing several projects in Ayodhya under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry. The Ramayan circuit is part of this scheme. The Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam is the implementing agency.

Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan director YP Singh said the Shodh Sansthan had more than 2500 artifacts related with Lord Ram.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas has welcomed the unveiling of the Kodamb Ram statue.

“There are five stages in the life of lord Ram. These are Baal Ram, Raja Ram, Dulha Ram, Banvasi Ram and Kodamb Ram,” said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, senior member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and successor of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

“The Kodamb Ram form of the lord is especially worshipped in South India where he is depicted alone. It is that stage of the lord’s life when Mata Sita was kidnapped by Ravana. Here, the lord is shown alone without his brother and wife,” said Mahant Kanahiya Das.

he Yogi government has approved a proposal to install a grand statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Earlier, the statue was proposed on the banks of the Saryu but due to objections from union environment ministry, the site has been shifted. Three places have been shortlisted and will be finalized soon.

The Yogi government has also approved a proposal to install a statue of Lord Ram and Nishadraj in Shringverpur, a tourist destination around 45 km from Allahabad. Both the statues will be depicted embracing each other.