BENGALURU: Around 15 scientists and scientific staff from the National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM) have been working at Ayodhya, where the consecration of the Ram temple will happen on January 22, for the last 18 months to check the quality of stones being used to build the multi-storeyed temple, said Institute Director Dr HS Venkatesh.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Trust members chose the scientists and scientific staff from the institute. Initially, they had an online meeting, later the trust people met the NIRM team, headed by him and principal scientist Dr Rajan Babu, in Ayodhya. “All the stones used in the temple were tested twice and only after a certification from us, were they used in the temple construction. Only with that certification can we say that the temple can stay for a thousand years,” he added.
Dr Rajan Babu said for the temple’s foundation, 65 per cent of the stones went from Sagarahalli, Devanahalli and Chikkaballapur, while the rest were from Karim Naar, Warangal and Ongole. The foundation was taken up in seven layers.
In the second stage superstructure, to carve columns and other fine works, Makrana white marble, which is the best in the category, was sourced from Rajasthan. For the third level of the superstructure too the same stone has been used for the floor, windows and doors, he said.
The stone comes from the famous mines in Makrana. It has not been used for load-bearing structures, but only for decoration, especially at the garbhagriha. The marble is at least 1,500 million years old, as per the tests conducted, he added.