What Is Ayodhya's Ram Mandir Made Of And Why Will It Require Zero Maintenance For 1,000 Years?

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Lord Ram is said to born in the city of Ayodhya situated on the banks of river Saryu, which is considered one of the seven holy cities in Hinduism. This site had witnessed riots, disputes, and violence for centuries, which finally came to rest with the historic Supreme Court judgment on 9 November 2019, that allowed for the Ram Mandir to be built on the piece of land where the Babri Masjid stood.

This Ram Mandir not only symbolizes a significant spiritual monument for devotees but is also an engineering marvel. Imagine a structure so divine and robust that it withstands the tests of time and nature without the use of modern construction staples like iron, steel or cement. That's the essence of the Ram temple, which is slated to house the idol of infant Lord Ram, famously known as Ram Lalla, on January 22.

What Is Ayodhya's Ram Mandir Made Of?
Professor Ramanchrala Pradeep Kumar, Director of the CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), sheds light on the unique construction techniques of the Ram Mandir and said that it was crafted using a special earthquake-resistant pink stone from Bansi Paharpur in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

This malleable stone is much lighter in weight than other construction materials. There is no use of iron because it rusts over time. Each stone is carefully grooved and locked into one another, eliminating the need for cement-further accentuating the temple's durability and making it resistant to earthquakes. This method is not only about longevity but also about staying true to the ancient Nagara architectural style.

What Is The Architectural Style Of Ram Mandir?
This Ayodhya Ram temple has been constructed in the Nagara architectural style, which is one of the three styles of Hinduism in North India. It has been linked to the region between the Vindhyas and the Himalayas. So, one cannot find any use of iron. Other temples constructed in the Nagar style are Khajuraho Temple, Somnath Temple, and Sun Temple of Konark.

Testing Soil Beneath The Ram Mandir
The temple's construction journey has been an adventurous one, from surprising geological discoveries to groundbreaking solutions. Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust claims that when the soil testing began before the foundation of the temple, it was completely inappropriate for the construction because there was utterly loose sand beneath the temple instead of soil.

An impressive collaboration of experts from various esteemed institutions, including CBRI, National Geophysical Survey, IIT Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Roorkee, and Bombay, as well as Larsen & Toubro (L&T) were consulted who came up with an impressive solution.

14 meters of sand were removed from the six acres of Ayodhya mandir and then the cavity was filled with 56 layers of Rolled Compact Concrete in the empty space to prepare the rocks for the foundation. The magical thing about this concrete is, that it transforms into rocks over time.