PM Modi to lay foundation stone of Ram temple on Aug 5

In a two-hour-long meeting of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust presided over by Mahant Nritya Gopal, it was decided that the Ram temple will be a towering 161 feet high structure with five domes. The overall look and design of the Ram temple were also discussed in the meeting and PM Narendra Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone on August 5.

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone for the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5, sources said.

Earlier on Saturday, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya either on August 3 or 5, both auspicious dates, a spokesperson said on Saturday.

The Prime Minister had announced the formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust on February 5.

Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, the spokesperson of Trust's president Nritya Gopal Das said, "We have suggested two auspicious dates August 3 and 5 for the Prime Minister's visit based on calculations of movements of stars and planets."

After a protracted legal tussle, the Supreme Court had on November 9 last year paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a Trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.

The decision about the tentative date for laying the foundation stone of the temple was taken at a meeting of the Trust members held in Ayodhya on Saturday. Senior advocate K Parasaran, Vasudevanand Saraswati and Swami Vishwa Prasanjeet attended the meeting via video links.

General Secretary of the Trust Champat Rai said soon after the monsoon, the Ram temple trust will contact 10 crore families across the country for financial help and it will take three to three-and-half years after the finalisation of the temple's design to complete its construction.

Kameshwar Chaupal, a member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said: "Ram Temple will be 161 feet high and now five domes will be built instead of three."Chaupal said that for the construction of Ram temple, a proposal has been sent to the Prime Minister's Office for Bhoomi Pujan. PM Narendra Modi is expected to do Bhoomi Pujan for the temple in Ayodhya on August 3 or 5.

Besides, there was a discussion on the overall look and design of the Ram temple in the meeting. Ram temple would be modelled on the basis of the design proposed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad but its length, width, and height will be increased. It would take around 3 and a half years to complete the construction of the temple. The construction work has been delayed due to the Coronavirus-triggered lockdown and other crises.

(With inputs from agencies)