Nine 'Shilas' installed at foundation of Ram temple

Ayodhya (UP), May 18 (IANS) Nine consecrated shilas, silver and copper urns worshipped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ram Janambhoomi during the 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony on August 5 last year, have been placed at the foundation of the temple's 'garbh griha' (sanctum sanctorum) on Monday.

Special prayers, accompanied by Vedic chants, were held at the Ram Janambhoomi site before installation of the nine shilas.

All the nine shilas - named Nanda, Ajita, Aparajita, Bhadra, Rikta, Jaya, Shukla, Poorna and Saubhagyani were installed. After this, koorma or silver turtle, nag, nagin, navaratna-studded lotus flower, clusters made of roots of Bakul tree and silver vase were also installed.

RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi, temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai, Nirmohi Akhara Mahant Dinendra Das, trustee Anil Mishra, VHP leader Rajendra Singh Pankaj and officials of Larsen & Toubro, Tata Consulting Engineers and Balaji Tucson were present at the ceremony, held on Monday.

Digging and excavation at the temple site is continuing for creating a 40-foot deep foundation, which will be 400 feet long and 300 feet wide.

This will be filled with 44 layers of engineered film material to provide hydrolytic stability and toughness.

Trustee Anil Mishra, said, "Two layers of 300mm engineered film have been laid. Construction has picked pace and all foundation layers would be placed before the monsoon."