Ayodhya: Balak Ram to receive 'Surya Tilak' on Ram Navami

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. This happened before the Ram Navami festival, coming on April 17.

Scientists and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak saw the trial. They used a special mirror for the ritual.

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. Scientist R Dharamraju said they will use an optical lens on the third floor of the temple. It will send the rays to the ground floor through pipes with reflectors.

“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)