Ayodhya: The grand Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya is not just a monument to faith; it’s a testament to the marriage of traditional Indian architectural heritage with cutting-edge science, ensuring its endurance for centuries to come.
“This temple is built to last over a thousand years,” declares Shri Nripendra Misra, chairperson of the construction committee. He reveals that leading Indian scientists, alongside ISRO technologies, have played a crucial role in shaping this iconic structure.
The temple, designed by Chandrakant Sompura, whose family boasts 15 generations of temple architects, draws inspiration from the Nagar Shaily style of North India. Sompura himself calls it “a unique kind of splendid creation, rarely seen on Earth.”
Spanning 2.7 acres with a built-up area of 57,000 sq ft, the three-story structure stands out for its unique construction. No iron or steel, because of their limited life spans, were used. Instead, the finest granite, sandstone, and marble form the core, held together by a “lock and key” mechanism using grooves and ridges, completely eliminating the need for cement or lime mortar.
Dr. Pradeep Kumar Ramancharla, Director of the Central Building Research Institute, actively involved in the project, explains the ingenious solution to the unstable sandy soil near the Sarayu River. They replaced the soil with compacted, engineered soil and laid a 1.5-meter thick concrete raft as reinforcement. A 6.3-meter thick plinth of solid granite further strengthens the foundation.
The visible parts of the temple are adorned with pink sandstone from Rajasthan, while the sanctum sanctorum boasts white Makrana marble from the same source as the Taj Mahal.
The Central Building Research Institute played a vital role in designing the temple’s structure, ensuring earthquake resistance for a 2,500-year return period. Notably, the dry-jointed structure relies solely on interlocked stones for a lifespan of 1,000 years, without any steel reinforcement.
Dr. Sharda Srinivasan, an archaeologist specializing in heritage metals, highlights the connection between the temple’s traditional style and historical methods like dry masonry and the Mortis and Tenon technique. She emphasizes the use of the trabeate system and monolithic carved columns, reflecting ancient practices adapted to create this colossal sandstone masterpiece.
Dr. Ramancharla emphasizes that although the temple’s foundation rests on heritage architecture, it is the integration of modern finite element analysis, sophisticated software tools, and 21st-century building codes that truly define the Ram Temple. “There’s no doubt that based on current knowledge, the Ram Mandir will stand strong for over a thousand years,” he concludes.
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