Ayodhya, Apr 17: Celebrated Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj, who shaped the exquisite sculpture of Ram Lalla that was ceremonially enthroned at his grand abode in Ayodhya, personally witnessed the 'Surya Tilak' on Wednesday.

In an epochal and unique moment on the occasion of Ram Navami, a ray of sunlight shone on the idol's forehead, adding to its divinity.

Yogiraj, who was in Ayodhya along with his family on Wednesday to partake in the Ram Navami celebrations in the temple town, said 'Surya Tilak' was an unforgettable moment that he was fortunate to witness.

Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Yogiraj shared his excitement at witnessing the divine moment, saying, "Lakhs of devotees come here every day and wait patiently in long queues for a sighting of Ram Lalla. By the blessings of the Lord, I was here today to offer my prayers along with my family. The 'Surya Tilak' was a divine moment that I will never forget. I wish to bow to our scientists who made this unique event possible. I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to witness this moment today."

A team of scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), including its director, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, worked towards the magical moment when a singular beam of sunlight lit up the forehead of Lord Ram Lalla.

"Our scientists have been trying to make the 'Surya Tilak' happen for four years now. I also consider myself to be very fortunate to have been able to spend some time with them. We grew up hearing or reading about these things in our mythological texts, but our scientists made it happen today," Yogiraj said.

Meanwhile, his wife Vijetha also expressed her delight at witnessing the 'Surya Tilak' moment, saying Ram Lalla looked ethereal in his divine abode as the ray of sunlight lit up his forehead. "It feels like the wait for hundreds of years was worth it. We are fortunate to be here for the Ram Navami celebrations but what made it all the more special was the 'Surya Tilak'. It feels like Ram Lalla is looking more divine and mesmeric with every passing day," Vijetha told ANI.

"It gives me immense happiness, that he (Arun Yogiraj) got this opportunity (to witness the Ram Navami celebrations at Ayodhya). We feel blessed today. He gives his 100 per cent to everything he does. All the success and accolades that are coming his way today are down to his dedication and hard work. It was no easy task bringing to fruition a moment that had been keenly awaited for 500 years. The emotions and sentiments of scores of people across the world were riding on this moment. He was blessed from above and honed the skills that were passed down to him through his ancestors," she added.

The 'Surya Tilak' on Ram Lalla took place at noon through an elaborate system involving mirrors and lenses inside the Ram Temple.

The temple trust commissioned a team of scientists to make this event possible. Using scientific expertise, a beam of light was made to illuminate Ram Lala's forehead. To arrive at this moment, a beam of sunlight was precisely directed on Ram Lalla's forehead using a combination of mirrors and lenses. This was carried out precisely at noon for about 3 minutes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who performed an 11-day 'Anusthan' leading up to the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla and performed all rituals around the enthronement as the 'Jajman', brought up the 'Surya Tilak' moment while addressing an election rally at Nalbari, Assam on Wednesday.

Raising a ' Jai Siyawar Ram ' (glory to Lord Ram) chant, PM Modi said, "Today marks the historic occasion of Ram Navami. After a wait of 500 years, Lord Ram has taken his throne at the grand temple. In a few minutes, his birth anniversary at his birthplace, Ayodhya will be celebrated through the application of the Surya Tilak on his forehead." (ANI)

Also Read: Devotees offer prayers on occasion of Ram Navami across country

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