Ayodhya's Ram Lalla idol at Ram Mandir named as 'Balak Ram'; Bhog food items, aarti and attire colour schedule also announced

The new idol of Ram Lalla at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has been named 'Balak Ram', Arun Dixit, a priest associated with the consecration ceremony, told PTI. The idol depicts Lord Ram as a five-year-old boy in a standing posture. Dixit explained that the reason for naming the idol 'Balak Ram' is because it resembles a child of five years.

The idol was consecrated in a grand ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who stated that it marked the beginning of a new era. The old idol of Ram Lalla, which was previously housed in a makeshift shrine, has been placed in front of the new idol.

The 'Aarti' at the Ram Temple, now called the 'Balak Ram Temple,' will take place six times a day.


Following Monday's Pran Pratishtha ceremony for the deity, there will be modifications in the worship and aarti procedures, now systematically organized.

Acharya Mithileshnandini Sharan, the instructor of Ram Lalla’s priests, said, "Now, Ashtyam Seva of Ram Lalla will occur throughout all eight hours of the day. Additionally, Ram Lalla's aarti will be conducted six times, with passes issued for attendance. Previously, there were two aartis for Ram Lalla Virajman."

He elaborated that the aartis will now encompass Mangala, Shringaar, Bhog, Uthapan, Sandhya, and Shayan aarti.

Mangala Aarti serves to awaken God, while Shringaar Aarti involves adorning the deity. Bhog Aarti includes offering Puri-sabzi-kheer. Uthapan Aarti is performed to ward off the evil eye on Ram Lalla. Sandhya Aarti takes place in the evening, followed by Shayan Aarti before the Lord's bedtime.

Besides Puri-vegetables, Rabri-kheer, Ram Lalla will receive offerings of milk, fruits, and pedas every hour in the afternoon.

Ram Lalla will be adorned in white on Monday, red on Tuesday, green on Wednesday, yellow on Thursday, cream on Friday, blue on Saturday, and pink on Sunday. Special occasions will see the deity wearing yellow attire.

The ornaments for the idol have been meticulously prepared based on extensive research and study of texts such as the Adhyatma Ramayana, Valmiki Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas, and the Alavandar Stotram.

The idol is adorned in Banarasi fabric, wearing a yellow dhoti and a red 'pataka' or 'angavastram', embellished with pure gold 'zari' and auspicious Vaishnav symbols. The garments were created by Delhi-based textile designer Manish Tripathi, who worked from Ayodhya Dham for this project.

The idol, chiselled by sculptor Arun Yogiraj, is made from a three billion-year-old rock called Krishna Shile, which was excavated from Gujjegowdanapura in Mysuru. Yogiraj expressed his belief that Lord Ram chose him for this auspicious task and he considers himself fortunate to have been involved in this project.

Rama Lalla idols for the grand temple were made by three sculptors -- Ganesh Bhatt, Yogiraj, and Satyanarayan Pandey. One of the idols will be placed in the sanctum sanctorum, while the other two will be placed in other parts of the temple.