Excitement around site in village that sent stone for Ram Lalla idol subsides

Mysuru: The excitement surrounding the selection of a stone from Harohalli, in Gujjegowdanapura village, Jayapura hobli, for the idol of Lord Ram Lalla, which has been installed at Ayodhya Ram Mandir, has now subsided. The number of devotees visiting the site has decreased, and the people’s representatives who had previously assured the construction of a Ram Mandir have lost interest in the project.
Meanwhile, the family of the landowner, Ramadas H, has decided to build a temple on their own. The family had announced four guntas of land for the proposed temple.
The Ayodhya Temple Trust had chosen the Krishna Shila (stone) found on the land of Ramadas H, a 78-year-old retired teacher from the Dalit community, for carving the idol of Ram Lalla. The famous sculptor from Mysuru, Arun Yogiraj, carved the idol using this stone, which was installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir on Jan 22. Following this news, the site became a pilgrimage spot, attracting devotees from all over the country who came to take darshan and collect small pieces of stone from the area.
On Jan 22, special pujas and homas were held at the site simultaneously, during the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya. It was announced that a Ram Mandir would be built at the same site, and Arun Yogiraj would be requested to carve an idol. The family of Ramadas had announced four guntas of land for the proposed temple. However, the enthusiasm surrounding the site and the temple has now faded. Sources indicate that the people’s representatives who had previously announced grand plans are now showing a lack of interest in the project. The number of devotees visiting the spot has also drastically reduced.
Rangaswamy Ramadas, son of the landowner, said the family has now decided to build a small Lord Ram Temple on their own in a small way. “Initially, devotees were flooding our land. But now just one or two devotees arrive on weekends,” he said.