BENGALURU: The Ram Mandir, which is under construction at Ayodhya on the banks of River Sarayu, has a strong Karnataka connection. The stones being used for its foundations are being transported from Chikkaballapur district. Contractors and the experts say that these rocks are the hardest in the country. “Four companies from Chikkaballapur have been selected to supply the stones for the foundation work,” said Muniraju, one of the contractors who is supplying the stones.
Muniraju, who also represents Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in the state, said that these rocks are heat-resistant. “The entire Ram Temple complex will be earthquake-resistant. To ensure that it is quake proof, the temple foundation is 40-foot deep.
The stones being brought from Chikkaballapur were tested by subjecting them to heat up to 1,500 degrees Celsius. These stones will also be tested by exposing them to freezing temperature for more than 24 hours, making them totally waterproof,” explained Muniraju.
Stones to be used for Ram Mandir foundation
The stones are being sourced from quarries in Gukanahalli and Adigallu Bande villages on the outskirts of Chikkaballapur. The huge rocks required for the temple are being shipped from the quarries to lay the foundat ion for the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Ram. Each stone being supplied measures 5 feet in length, 3 feet in thickness and 2.75 feet in width. All stones are granite blocks,” said Muniraju. According to geologists, the rocks in Chikkaballapur are very hard granites formed 2,500 million years ago.
“They are very hard rocks formed due to crystallisation of granite. They are highly resistant to earthquakes,” said Professor Mahbaleshwar, a retired professor, Department of Geology, Bangalore University.
Another geologist, who did not wished to be named, said that these rocks are formed at least 3 to 3.5 billion years ago and are also found in Ramanagara and other parts around Bengaluru. Interestingly, several findings point out that the Himalayan Mountain ranges were formed 40 or 50 million years ago, making them the youngest mountain range in the world and the rocky terrain of Chikkabal lapur existed much before these mountains came into existence.