Faith on wheels: 33-feet, 210-tonne Shiva Lingam rolls into Bihar, devotees line up to pray

Gopalganj (Bihar), Jan 5 (PTI) A 33-foot-tall and 210-tonne Shiva Lingam to be installed at the under-construction Virat Ramayan Temple in Bihar's East Champaran district reached neighbouring Gopalganj district on Monday, drawing a large number of devotees who gathered to offer prayers.

The stone, representing Lord Shiva, took about 45 days to reach Gopalganj, covering nearly 2,500 km through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Sayan Kunal, a member of the Bihar State Religious Trust Council (BSRTC), said.

Crafted in Tamil Nadu's Mahabalipuram, the Shiva Lingam is being transported on a specially designed 96-wheeled truck.

Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary and Kunal were among those who offered prayers before the Shiva Lingam.

Long queues of devotees were seen at several places wherever the vehicle slowed down or halted briefly.

Talking to reporters, Choudhary said, "It is not merely a stone structure, but a symbol of a great spiritual resolve. Late Kishore Kunal ji had envisioned the creation of such a Shiva Lingam, whose worship would grant devotees spiritual merit equivalent to worshipping 1,008 Shiva Lingams. Today, that dream is becoming a reality." He added that the Mahavir Mandir Trust team is closely monitoring the project to ensure that construction and installation are carried out with complete purity, grandeur, and in accordance with Sanatan traditions.

The foundation stone of the Virat Ramayan Temple at Kaithwalia was laid on June 20, 2023 by the former chairman of the BSRTC, Kishore Kunal.

Sayan Kunal told reporters that the Shiva Lingam would reach the temple between January 10 and 12, while its formal installation will take place on January 17, on the occasion of Krishna Chaturdashi.

He added that the construction of the Virat Ramayan Temple will be completed by 2030. The shrine will be 270 feet tall, and the complex will have 18 towers and 22 temples dedicated to different deities. PTI COR PKD MNB