Ayodhya: Balak Ram to receive ‘Surya Tilak’ on Ram Navami

Team Udayavani, Apr 14, 2024, 10:08 AM IST

Balak Ram idol at Ayodhya Ram Mandir (Credit: PTI / File)

A unique scientific system has been created to adorn the idol of Ram Lalla with a ‘Surya Tilak’ every Ram Navami, starting this year.

Priests at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya did a trial of the ‘Surya Tilak’ ritual successfully. It illuminates Balak Ram idol’s forehead with the Sun’s rays. Scientists and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak saw the trial. They used a special mirror for the ritual.

Ram Navami falls on April 17 this year, marking Lord Rama’s birth anniversary. During this occasion, a special setup of lenses and mirrors will be used in the temple. This setup will direct sunlight onto Ram Lalla’s forehead, creating the revered ‘Surya Tilak’ as a mark of respect and celebration.

The ‘Surya Tilak’ idea comes from scientists at the CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI). It makes the Sun’s rays shine on the idol’s forehead for about six minutes at noon on Ram Navami day.

श्रीअयोध्या धाम में रामलला के सूर्य तिलक की तैयारियां चल रही हैं। रामनवमी के पावन अवसर पर होगा प्रभु का सूर्य तिलक। सूर्य तिलक पर श्रीरामलला के मस्तक के बीचों-बीच सूर्य देवता की सीधी रोशनी पड़ती दिखाई देगी। @BJP4India@BJP4UP#JaiShriRam #Ayodhya pic.twitter.com/ZuXNiWbnkO

— Brajesh Pathak (मोदी का परिवार) (@brajeshpathakup) April 12, 2024

“An optical lens will be placed on the third floor of the temple which will channel the ray to the ground floor through a series of reflectors placed in pipes,” Chief Scientist at the CBRI, R Dharamraju, told PTI.

CSIR-labs and CBRI played key roles in ensuring the structural integrity of the temple. CSIR-labs contributed to the structural analysis to make it resilient against earthquakes and various weather conditions. Meanwhile, CBRI conducted a 3D structural analysis and recommended modifications, including changes to the sizes and shapes of the temple’s domes based on their inputs.

(with PTI inputs)