Nitish visits installation of giant Shiva Lingam at under-construction Ramayan temple in Motihari

Motihari (Bihar), Jan 17 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited the site of the under-construction Virat Ramayan Temple in East Champaran district, where a 33 feet tall Shiva Lingam was being installed on Saturday.

The CM, accompanied by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha and others, paid the visit during his Samridhi Yatra in the district. Kumar also inspected the site and enquired about the ongoing construction work there.

A large number of devotees gathered to offer prayers when the giant Shiva Lingam was being installed. Crafted in Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, the 33-ft Shiva Lingam weighs 210 metric tonnes and was brought to Kalyanpur on a specially engineered 96-wheeled trailer.

Sayan Kunal, a member of the Bihar State Religious Trust Council (BSRTC) and his wife Sambhavi Choudhary, who is the Samastipur MP, participated in a yagna when the Shiva Lingam was being installed.

Kunal said, "This Shiva Lingam is made of a single rock structure. This is why it is being considered as the world's largest Shiva Lingam.” Besides, he said, “This Shiva Lingam comprises 1008 small Shiva Lingams. Worship of this one will grant devotees spiritual merit equivalent to worshipping 1008 Shiva Lingams".

Kunal also stated that the construction of the Virat Ramayan Temple will be completed by 2030.

The Mahavir Mandir Trust team from Patna is monitoring the entire project. The foundation stone of the temple was laid on June 20, 2023, by the late Acharya Kishore Kunal, former chairman of the BSRTC.

The height of the main temple will be 270 feet while the temple complex will have 18 towers and 22 temples dedicated to different deities, said Sayan Kunal, son of Kishor Kunal.

It took 45 days for the Shiva Lingam to reach in Motihari, passing through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, he added.

Earlier in the day, the CM launched several development projects in West Champaran district and inspected the Women ITI and the Centre of Excellence during the Samridhi Yatra. PTI PKD NN