About the Doors and Bells in Shriram Temple
All the Temple doors are gold-plated
All the 46 doors of Shriram Temple in Ayodhya are gold-plated. These doors have passed multiple tests and skilled craftsmen have meticulously decorated them with gold, including the largest door to the sanctum sanctorum. The doors are engraved with images of elephants, lotuses, and other motifs; and gold moulds have been applied carefully. Made from fine teak wood from the forests of Maharashtra, the doors were first covered with copper plates before the gold-plating was done.
Main entrance called ‘Simhadwar’ is complete
The main entrance, called ‘Simhadwar,’ is complete. It is made of rosy pink limestone (also known as pink sand stone) brought from Rajasthan. This grand entrance gate, designed in the Nagar style, is etched with floral motifs and carved panels. It also features statues of Deities on both the sides, radiating grandeur.
Who manufactured the bells for the Temple ?
A total of 108 bells will resound in the Temple, and the responsibility of crafting these bells had been entrusted to ‘Sri Andal Moulding Works’ in the Namakkal District of Tamil Nadu. Mr K Rajendran (Proprietor of ‘Sri Andal Moulding Works’) shared details of these bells.
Mr Rajendran’s family has been dedicated to the art of crafting temple bells for seven generations. Bells crafted by his company are not only distributed across India but also find their way to various international destinations including Malaysia, Singapore.
Mr K Rajendran said, “We were approached a month ago to prepare the bells. After this, we have been given all kinds of orders. We have received requests to make 5 temple bells weighing 70 kg, 6 temple bells weighing 60 kg, and 1 bell weighing 25 kg, totalling 12 bells along with 36 smaller bells. Twenty five people have worked tirelessly day and night to create these bells. Metals such as copper, silver and zinc have been used in the bell-making. We did not use iron in these bells. Our team can produce exquisite bells in a short time using specific techniques”.
Mr K Rajendran added, “We are preparing all the bells for Shriram Temple in Shri Hanuman Temple which is the biggest Temple in Namakkal District. The plan involves organising a procession of these bells to Shriram Temple in Ayodhya. It is a great honour for us to have the opportunity to make these bells for Shriram Temple”.
He shared his satisfaction that the Namakkal bells would resonate during the consecration ceremony and beyond. These bells contribute to the spiritual and cultural significance of the upcoming consecration.