Ayodhya Ram Temple: Rare ‘Shaligram’ Stones From Nepal Reach Ayodhya - Know What Makes Them So Special

Shaligram Rocks: In Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu is said to have taken the form of Shaligram Stone to defeat the demon king Hayagriva. Since then, the stone has been worshipped as a symbol of Lord Vishnu's power and is considered to have divine properties.

Ayodhya: Two rare 'Shaligram' rocks dispatched from Nepal for building a statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya has been handed over to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra which is overseeing the construction of a grand temple in the holy town of Uttar Pradesh. The two sacred rocks – the non-anthropomorphic representations of Lord Vishnu in Hindu religion – have been excavated from the Kali Gandaki River of Nepal. The eight-day journey of transportation of these two sacred rocks was called `Shila Yatra`. 

The holy stones were welcomed at Lord Ram`s birthplace by priests and locals who decorated the boulders with garlands and offered rituals before handing over them to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Senior Nepali Congress leader and former Home Minister Bimalendra Nidi had played a major role in the excavation of the two rocks. "It took us eight days to reach Ayodhya from Nepal," he said at the ceremony. 

Why are These two Sacred 'Shaligram' Rocks so Special? 

Hindus consider rocks from the Gandki river, which started flowing south after the formation of the Himalayas 65 million years ago, as "very sacred". The river is famous for its ammonite fossils that Hindus worship as Shaligram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu is said to have taken the form of Shaligram Stone to defeat the demon king Hayagriva. Since then, the stone has been worshipped as a symbol of Lord Vishnu's power and is considered to have divine properties.

The rocks would be used to sculpt a life-size statue of Ram Lala or Lord Ram as a child. After a decision was taken to construct the temple, its construction organising committee had been looking for sacred rocks from Nepal and approached the Nepali leaders following which he found the sacred rocks.

The two holy stones, one weighing 18 tons and another of 16 tons, have been approved both technically and scientifically for the making of the idol. The boulders are expected to be used for the construction of idols of Ram and Janaki, which will be placed in the main temple complex of the under-construction Ram Mandir. 

Found only on the riverbanks of Kali Gandaki River that flows through Myagdi and Mustang districts, the Shaligrams reached Ayodhya on heavy-duty trucks from Nepal`s Janakpur, the birthplace of Sita. There is a waterfall named Kali Gandaki in Nepal. It originates from Damodar Kund and is around 85 km north of Ganeshwar Dham Gandki. The place is situated at a height of 6,000 feet above sea level. 

The Nepali leader said that Janaki Temple would later send a bow to Ram temple in Ayodhya as per the specification of the Ram temple Trust.