Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (MS)
Kundapur, May 15: The construction work of huge Brahmaratha (chariot) for Sri Ram Mandir of Ayodhya was flagged off on Friday May 14.
Senior chariot artisans Laxminarayana Acharya and Rajagopalacharya began the construction process. This chariot will be the tallest and biggest in the world that will be built for Lord Sri Ram. As decided earlier, the work of construction of the chariot began on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. The chariot work will get completed in two and a half years. This chariot will be offered to Sri Ram Mandir on behalf of Hanuma Janmabhoomi Kshethra of Kishkinda.
The chariot will be built by by national award winner chariot artisan Laxminarayana Acharya of Koteshwara Vishwakarma Karakushala Shilpakala Kendra. A huge shed is being built in Kumbhashi to facilitate the construction of the chariot. This chariot will be built in the style of Kukke Sri Subramanya temple Chariot. This will be the tallest chariot in the world. The total height of the chariot would be 84 feet including wheels that would be 10 feet in height, Jidde of 20 feet, the pedestal would be eight feet, flag area would be 36 feet, Mantap part would be five feet and Kalasha part will be five feet in height. The width of the chariot would be 26 feet. Teakwood from Uttarakhand will be used for the chariot while coastal Bogie tree would be used for the wheels.
In total 60 tonnes of wood is required to build the chariot. The weight of the chariot would be 50 tonne. The chariot will have unique artwork related to Lord Ram and Ramayana around it. The cost of the chariot would be Rs four crore. In addition to the sculptors, 50 people will put in their effort to build this mammoth chariot.
The construction work of shed is going on briskly at Kumbashi over an area of one acre. Pooja of three Padukes was held in the wake of the construction of chariot. Out of this one Paduka will be installed at Kumbashi where the chariot construction work will be done. This information was shared by chariot artisan Rajagopalacharya. He further said, “Construction of chariot is a tough job. We have intended to do this because of the devotion and respect towards Ayodhya. Three Padukas were sanctified at Ayodhya. One of that is going to Kishkinda, one to tour with the guru and one is given to us. Bharatha ruled Ayodhya by keeping the Paduka of Lord Ram. Accordingly, we will also build the chariot thinking that Lord Rama is with us as his Paduka is sent to us from Ayodhya. We have named the shed also as
Ayodhya.”
Ayodhya is at a distance of around 2,000 km from Udupi. There are toll gates, electrical cables and heavy traffic in many areas. That is why transporting chariot as whole would be difficult. If it is not feasible then the parts of the chariot will be transported to Ayodhya and assembled there. According to present calculations, most probably the chariot will be assembled at Ayodhya.
National award winner chariot artisan Laxminarayana Acharya said, “We have got the opportunity of building chariot for Lord Ram of Ayodhya due to the good deeds done by our ancestors. This chariot will be in line with the chariot that was built for Kukke Subramanya temple. Two and a half years’ time is given for us to construct the chariot. This will coincide with the Ram Mandir construction work at Ayodhya. Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala Dr D Veerendra Heggade is also guiding us.”