With 1 lakh bhakts expected each day, Ayodhya's Ram temple trust seeks designs for museum, gurukul, gaushala

By Pragya Kaushika
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 4 : Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has sought suggestions and ideas to develop a 70-acre campus surrounding Ram Temple in Ayodhya. While temple design, the main structure, being built in traditional Nagara style has been designed by specialist consultants, it is for the facilities surrounding the temple for which Teerth Kshetra Trust has sought suggestions.
This has been done after the trust members met and deliberated on the progress of temple construction in Ayodhya earlier this week.
The trust has sought suggestions and designs from people on a voluntary basis who would like to be associated with the temple for facilities like Pushkarni, Yagya Mandapam, Anushthan Mandapam, Kalyan Mandapam and for the celebration of rituals like Ramjanmotsava, Hanuman Jayanti, Ramcharcha, Sita Vivaha.
"These (designs) should be based on Vaastu or Sthapatya Veda, known as Indian Science of Architecture," reads the advertisement by the trust. It also seeks designs for a Gurukul with residential facilities for 51 students and their acharyas.
For existing historic sites at the spot like Nal Neel Tila, Sita ki Rasoi, Kuber Tila and Angad Tila, designs have been called to integrate it with the main structure and its surroundings. The trust also seeks designs for visitor facilitation amenities "for approximately 1 lakh visitor per day on an average and 5 lakh visitors on peak days".
It also seeks designs for Shri Ram Digital Library and Research Centre along with a museum showcasing multimedia platforms, virtual reality, augmented reality that shall depict the essence of Ramayana with a complete itinerary and an auditorium and convention centre with a capacity of 1,000 to 5,000 persons.
Designs for a mini theatre with an audiovisual experience of Ramkatha and pilgrimage spots around Ayodhya can be showcased too have been sought. The trust also plans to build a gaushala and residential facility for trust recognised VIPs and priests.
The trust had on August 20 had said that the construction of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir has "begun" and the engineers are now testing the soil at the site.
According to the Trust, the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple will be built by adhering to the country's ancient and traditional construction techniques. It will also be built to sustain earthquakes, storms and other natural calamities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ayodhya on August 5 to attend the 'Bhoomi Pujan' at Ram Janmbhoomi site.
In February this year, Prime Minister Modi had announced the constitution of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, to oversee the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.