February 16, 2024
Arun Yogiraj, a sculptor from Mysuru, Karnataka, created the 51-inch-tall, 200kg statue of Ram Lalla for the Ram Mandir temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The idol, which is a representation of Lord Ram as a five-year-old child, is made from black stone known as krishnashila, which is found around Mysuru. According to HS Venkatesh, director of the National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM), Bengaluru, “The stone is 2.5 million years old and is highly durable and resistant to climatic variation and will sustain thousands of years in this subtropical zone with minimum maintenance.” 38-year-old Yogiraj hails from a family of five generations of sculptors and began sculpting at an early age. He acquired a master of business administration (MBA) degree and worked in the corporate sector for a short period of time. He then continued his career in sculpting and has become one of India’s most popular sculptors. He has created many famous statues including the statue of Subhas Chandra Bose near India Gate, Delhi, and the Adi Shankaracharya statue at Kedarnath.
Image Source: twitter.com
