‘Measured the area with our feet’: Ram Temple chief architect charts history of mandir construction

Ram Temple chief architect Chandrakant Sompura shared details about his meeting with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief Ashok Singhal 32 years back, wherein he was asked to prepare a plan to construct the Ram Mandir. Sompura stated about the challenges faced by him in taking the measurements for the Mandir construction under restrictions.

Chandrakant Sompura recalled the process leading to the construction of the temple at Ayodhya, "32 years ago, Ashok Singhal took me with him and told me to prepare a plan for the Ram Mandir to be constructed. At that time, there was a structure and we were not even allowed to take measurements. We measured the area with our feet and estimated the area of the place…,” said Sompura.

Narrating the journey of the Mandir construction, “We decided on a plan which was later displayed in the Kumbh Mela... Then the work slowed down for some years... After the court's order, we were asked to hurry up and were asked to build it a lot bigger now... More than 50% of the work is complete... We lost hope at some time whether the temple would be built or not... VHP said that the 6x3 feet area of the birth was acceptable otherwise there would be no temple…," he said.

Final Mandir model approved in the Kumbha Mela

A small wooden model of the Mandir was made, he said. “There were 2-3 plans made for the Mandir and one was approved. Then a model was asked to be prepared, which was subsequently approved by the Hindu samaj in the Kumbh mela.”

“After the court order, it was said the structure should be even bigger than what was originally proposed. We improvised on the old model and it was liked by all stakeholders. Currently, more than 50 percent of the work is done. By the time the pran pratishtha (consecration) happens the work of the first floor will be over and the construction of a major part of the second floor will be over soon.”

'Mandir vahin banayenge'

Initially, there was no hope of the possibility of Mandir construction at the place where Bhagwan Ram was born. “There was no hope that the Mandir will be constructed in the first place. Then PM Narasimha Rao called me for a meeting and I met him after asking the VHP. He (P.V. Narasimha Rao) suggested constructing the Mandir 10-20 feet away from the main site (Where Bhagwan Ram was born). It’s the same scenario as in Mathura. I passed on the proposal to VHP however it was rejected. ‘We will make the Ram Mandir only at the 6 by 3 place where Bhagwan Ram was born, otherwise we will not construct the Mandir’ said VHP,” said Sompura adding the saying of ‘Mandir vaheen banayenge’ came from this proposal.