Get ready for a divine spectacle: 210-ton, 33-Ft world's largest Shivalinga to be installed in Virat Ramayana temple today!
Motihari (The Uttam Hindu): Today will be a historic day for the Virat Ramayan Temple in Motihari, East Champaran district, Bihar. The world's heaviest and largest Shivalinga will be installed within the temple complex. Made of black granite, this Shivalinga weighs 210 tons and measures 33 feet in height and circumference. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be a special guest at this grand consecration and installation ceremony.
Installation will be done by giant cranes
The Shivalinga's size and weight are so enormous that its installation poses a significant engineering challenge. Two special cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 700 tons and 500 tons, have been commissioned to lift and position this massive Shivalinga. These cranes, with lifting capacities of 700 tons and 500 tons respectively, have been specially brought to Motihari from Bengal and Bhopal. The temple administration has made elaborate security and order arrangements for the installation.
Why Kaithwalia? It has a deep connection to the Treta Yuga
The selection of Kaithwalia village in East Champaran for the construction of the Grand Ramayana Temple has a mythological significance. According to local saints, during the Treta Yuga, when Lord Rama was returning to Ayodhya from Janakpur after marrying Sita, his wedding procession rested for a night at this very spot. According to folklore, since Rama's "daughter-in-law" (Mother Sita) stayed here, the nearby village was later named "Bahuara." Bahuara village still exists to the east of the temple's boundary, and the under-construction Ram-Janaki Path follows this route.
The architecture and grandeur of the temple
The Virat Ramayan Mandir will be world-renowned not only for its Shivalinga but also for its vastness. A total of 22 temples and 12 spires will be built in this complex, currently spread over 120 acres, with a target of 150 acres. The main temple will be 1080 feet long and 540 feet wide. The main spire of the temple will be the tallest, proposed to be 270 feet high. Furthermore, to enhance the grandeur of the complex, a 190-foot spire, four 180-foot spires, one 135-foot spire, and five 108-foot spires will be built. Crowds of devotees have already begun gathering to get a glimpse of this grandeur.
Center of faith between Ayodhya and Janakpur
This temple will also geographically connect two sacred shrines. The temple is taking shape in Kaithwalia, Motihari, between Lord Rama's city, Ayodhya, and Mother Sita's birthplace, Janakpur (Nepal). The surrounding area has been named "Janaki Nagar." The temple is 315 kilometers from Ayodhya via the Ram-Janaki Path route and approximately 115 kilometers from Janakpur Dham. It is 120 kilometers from the capital, Patna. In the future, this temple will be a major pilgrimage center for devotees traveling along the Ram-Janaki Path.