With injury in eyes and sleepless nights, Arun Yogiraj sculpted Ram Lalla Idol in 6 months

Sculptor Arun Yogiraj from Mysuru has overcome personal challenges to craft the iconic "Ram Lalla" idol to be enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum of Ayodhya's grand Ram temple. Despite enduring an eye injury during the intricate carving process, Yogiraj persisted, ensuring perfection in the divine creation.

Family's elation at Idol selection

The Ayodhya Ram temple trust recently declared that Yogiraj's crafted 'Ram Lalla' idol secured its place in the temple being erected at Lord Ram's birthplace in Uttar Pradesh. The sculptor's family expressed jubilation at this significant achievement.

Yogiraj's wife, Vijetha, shared insights into his dedication, recounting an incident where an eye injury occurred during the stone carving. Despite the pain, Yogiraj continued with his work, demonstrating an exceptional commitment to the virtuous task assigned to him. She said "When the task was given (to Yogiraj), we got the information that the ideal stone is available near Mysuru. However, that stone was very hard, so hard that its pointed flake pricked into his eye and it was removed through an operation. Even during the pain, he did not stop and continued with the work. His work was so good that it impressed everyone. We thank one and all."

Hard Work and Sacrifice of Yogiraj

Vijetha revealed the challenges Yogiraj faced while carving the idol from a particularly hard stone near Mysuru. She emphasized his relentless work ethic, including numerous sleepless nights and intense concentration to ensure precision. The family expressed gratitude for the recognition, highlighting the sacrifices made for this exceptional achievement.

"He (Yogiraj) had many sleepless nights thinking and concentrated on making the Ram Lalla idol. There were days when we hardly spoke, and he hardly gave time to the family also. All this is now compensated by this great news," she said.

A memorable day for the Yogiraj family

Yogiraj's brother, Suryaprakash, described the announcement as a historic moment for the family. He attributed Yogiraj's success to his dedication and hard work, noting that the sculptor had learned the art from their father, who was a sculpting enthusiast.  He said "Yogiraj made history and he deserved it. It is his hard work and dedication that took him to such heights,"

Yogiraj's mother, Saraswati, expressed immense joy at her son's idol being selected. She shared the family's elation and recounted Yogiraj's revelation that the idol had been chosen, making the occasion a truly Happy Sankranti for them. She said "He (Yogiraj) spoke to me in the morning and said his idol had been selected. It was really a Happy Sankranti for us."

Divine insight in sculpting

Saraswati shared her belief that God had blessed Yogiraj with the insight to carve the divine figure out of stone, emphasizing that no one had seen Lord Rama, yet her son had captured the essence through his artistic prowess.

Recognition from Ram Temple Trust

Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Ram temple trust, announced that the new idol represents the deity as a five-year-old boy in a standing posture. The idol is set to be placed at its designated spot in the sanctum sanctorum on January 18.

As news of Yogiraj's achievement spread, neighbors and leaders paid tribute to his family, offering garlands as a mark of respect. Yogiraj had previously sculpted idols of Adi Shankaracharya for Kedarnath and Subhas Chandra Bose near India Gate in Delhi, showcasing his artistic prowess on a national scale.

Intricate work to achieve the look of divinity

Earlier this month, Yogiraj spoke about the challenges he faced in sculpting the idol of Ram Lalla. He emphasized the need for the idol to reflect both divinity and a child-like innocence. The sculptor expressed his happiness at the idol's selection, urging people to appreciate the craftsmanship that went into creating this divine representation.

He said "Keeping the divinity aspect along with the child-like face in mind, I started my work about six to seven months ago. Now I am extremely happy. More than selection, people should appreciate it. Only then, I will be happy," the renowned sculptor had said.

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