10 points about the Ram Temple

 The construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya began with a grand Bhoomi Puja celebration. Here are some interesting facts.

1. No Use of Iron or Steel: Iron and steel will not be used in the construction of the temple. It will be constructed using stones.  While wood, white cement, and copper would be used.

2. Large sanctum sanctorum: The sanctum sanctorum of the temple will be a huge structure, one of the biggest in the country - with a dimension of 20 feet by 20 feet.

3. Soil from Different Places: Soil from 2,587 religious and cultural significance places in India will be used during the construction of the foundation.  

4. Time Capsule Below the Temple: A time capsule will be placed 2,000 feet under the temple structure to protect the temple’s history. It will contain information related to the Ram Janmabhoomi, Ayodhya, and Lord Ram, written on a copper plate.

5. Special Bricks:  Bricks with ‘Shri Ram’ inscription on it will be used for the temple construction. These bricks were collected from devotees from all over the country. Most of it will be used for laying the foundation.

6. Stones from Rajasthan: The temple will be constructed using pink sandstone called ‘Bansi Paharpur’, which will be brought in from Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

7. Temple Structure:  Based on the Nagara style, the Ram temple will be built on 10 acres of land. The remaining 57 acres will be developed as the temple complex. The structure will have five mandaps - kudu, rang, nritya, kirtan, and prarthana.

8. The three-storied temple will be 161 feet tall. The ground floor will portray the story of Lord Ram’s birth and his childhood, while the first floor will have a layout of the Ram Darbar.

9. Ram Katha Kunj: Statues depicting Lord Ram's journey from childhood till coronation will be displayed in the courtyard of the temple. It will be called the Ram Katha Kunj and shall exhibit 125 scripts from Lord Ram's life.

10. The construction will take 3.5 years.