Bhagavan Sri Ramlalla at Ramjanmabhoomi Mandir & the Vigraha of Sri Rama Darbar at Sundar Sadan, Ayodhya – The Amazing Connect
With the blessings of Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sharada Peethadheeshwara, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam consecrated the beautiful monolithic black stone Vigraha of “Sri Rama Darbar” at Sundar Sadan, Ramkot, Sringeri Shankara Math, Ayodhya on February 10, 2025 (Krodhi Samvatsara – Vikram Samvat 2081 – Magha Shuddha Trayodashi, Punarvasu Nakshatra).
Earlier in the day, Jagadguru Sri Sannidhanam had Darshan of Bhagavan Sri Ramlalla at the Ramjanmabhoomi Mandir while at night, Jagadguru Sri Sannidhanam performed the Chandramoulishwara Puja at the Praarthana Mandap located beside the Garbha Griha in the Ramjanmabhoomi Mandir. The entire visit was coordinated by dignitaries involved with the Mandir such as Sri Champat Rai, Chief Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra and Sri Gopal ji of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Later in the evening, the dignitaries had special Darshan of Sri Sannidhanam and briefed on the progress to-date of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir construction and what remain to be completed, and received blessings.
On February 11, Jagadguru Sri Sannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam commended Sri VK Singh ji and his family for approaching Sringeri Shankaracharya Jagadguru Sri Mahasannidhanam with great devotion to offer Sundar Sadan and take over its management located in the proximity of the Ramjanmabhoomi Mandir.
The Vigraha of Sri Rama Durbar consecrated at Sundar Sadan in Ayodhya is a unique creation by a master sculptor and has been connected to the Sringeri Math for nearly 80 years. The Vigraha is so exquisite that it is impossible to not get moved by its beauty. Bhagavan Sri Rama has Maata Sita sitting on his lap and tenderly holds Her. Sri Lakshmana and Sri Shatrughna fan Bhagavan with chamara and Sri Bharata stands in front devotedly with folded hands. Sri Hanuman sits in front holding Bhagavan Sri Rama’s Lotus feet and fully absorbed in it.
The connection between the Vigrahas of Bhagavan Sri Ramlalla at Ramjanmabhoomi Mandir and Sri Rama Darbar at Sundar Sadan have a connection that thrills anyone who comes to know about the connection.
In the middle of the 20th century, Sri M.R. Balasubramaniam from Manathattai village near Trichy, was a Chief Engineer in Public Works Department of the erstwhile Madras Presidency. He was an ardent devotee of the Jagadgurus of the Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sri Sharada Peetam and was serving the Sringeri Math in many ways. He was instrumental in building the Ratna Garbha Ganapati temple and Shankara Matha at Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu. In 1958, the Sringeri Jagadguru had graced his residence at Manathattai and later his residence at Chennai too. Pleased with his immense devotion, the Jagadguru blessed him with the title, “Guru Bhakta Ratnam”.
Sri M.R. Balasubramaniam used to frequent Sringeri to have Darshan of the Sringeri Jagadgurus. Once in 1951, he was in Sringeri to have Darshan of the renowned Jivanmukta, the 34th Shankaracharya of Sringeri, Jagadguru Sri Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji. The Mahaswamiji would often be in the state of Antarmukha and there would be occasions where devotees would wait for months together to have Darshan of the Mahaswamiji who revelled in the highest spiritual state of the bliss of the Atman.
When Sri M.R. Balasubramaniam 1951, he happened to meet Sri Siddhanti Siddhalinga Swami, a renowned sculptor patronised by the Mysore Maharaja. Sri Siddhalinga Swami had been waiting for a long time in Sringeri to obtain darshan of Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekara Bharati Mahaswamiji. Coming to know of this, Sri MR Balasubramanian promised to try and help him have the Darshan of the Jagadguru. Soon it transpired that both could have Darshan of the Jagadguru. The joyous Sri Siddalinga Swami asked Sri Balasubramaniam to visit his Shilpa Vidyalaya Gurukula in Mysore at the earliest opportunity.
When Sri Balasubramaniam visited within a span of few months, Sri Siddalinga Swami showed him around and asked him to select any Vigraha he wished and he would give it to him as a token of gratitude for ensuring that he could have the darshan of the Sringeri Jagadguru. Sri Balasubramaniam chose an incredibly beautiful Sri Rama Vigraha that is essentially the present-day Sri Rama Darbar. Initially taken aback by this request, Sri Siddalinga Swami mentioned that he had not expected that this particular Vigraha would be chosen as it had been sculpted by him, not to be sold or given, but as a testament of his skill that had been handed down through generations. He had single-handedly worked on the Vigraha for over ten years!
However, Sri Siddalinga Swami kept up his word, and had the Vigraha of Sri Rama Darbar sent to Manathattai in the summer of 1952.
In all earnestness, Sri Balasubramaniam purchased a piece of land and began preparations for the construction of a temple in his beloved Manathattai agraharam. However, Sri MRB’s efforts were beset with numerous obstacles. His son Sri B Raju, was based out of Chennai and building the temple in Manathattai did not seem possible due to domestic commitments. In recent years after his retirement, he did take some preliminary steps towards building the temple, however even this effort did not fructify. When his wife, Smt. Sujatha read about the Sringeri Sharadha Peetham establishing a new branch Math at Ayodhya, a thought crossed her mind – why not offer Sri Rama to the Sringeri Shankara Math at Ayodhya?
With this thought, they came to Sringeri on August 17th 2022 to have Darshan of the Jagadgurus and to seek Their guidance. Both Sri Maha sannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam were very happy to and instructed them to bring the Vigraha to Sringeri at the earliest. Thus, it seemed it was pre-ordained that the sequence of events pertaining to the Vigraha began in Sringeri more than 70 years ago and again culminated in Sringeri. This is what is called Ram leela.
On January 22, 2024, the day Bhagavan Sri Ramlalla was consecrated in Ayodhya, Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Sri Sannidhanam worshipped the Vigraha carved by Sri Siddalinga Swami at the same time as the Vigraha of Bhagavan Sri Ramlalla carved by Sri Arun Yogiraj, grandson of Sri Siddalinga Swami’s disciple was consecrated and worshipped at Ayodhya.
Likewise on February 10, 2025, Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji consecrated this Vigraha which was offered by Shilpi Siddalinga Swami as a gratitude for having been able to obtain the Darshan of Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji.
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