After Modi's Patel statue, Nitish announces biggest lord Ram temple in Bihar

Patna: Matching his rival Narendra Modi’s efforts to build world’s highest statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday unveiled a model of the world’s biggest temple of Lord Rama in the state. Kumar unveiled the model of the ‘Virat Ramayan Mandir" jointly with Shankaracharya of Dwarka in Gujarat Swaroopa Nand Saraswati Maharaj in Patna. [caption id=“attachment_1228413” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. AFP[/caption] The temple would come up at Kesaria in East Champaran district of Bihar. Chairman of Religious Trust Board Kishore Kunal gave details of the temple saying it would be 2,800 feet long, 1,400 feet broad and 405 feet high. The temple will be built at a cost estimated in between Rs 300 crore to Rs 500 crore, he said. Kunal said that at a platform at a height of 66 feet, more than 25,000 people can offer puja at a time in the proposed temple that is expected to come up in 10 years. Addressing the function, the CM said that people of Cambodia had objected to use of their name hence the temple was nomenclature as ‘Virat Ramayan Mandir’. He said the state has rich ancient historical sites. “By carrying excavation of such sites if not gold but even more valuable heritage sites could be found in the state,” he said referring to Archaeological Survey of India carrying digging at a monument in Uttar Pradesh in search of gold. He said the building of the temple would draw tourists from within the country and also abroad to the state. Speaking on the occasion, Shankaracharya asked people to donate one fifth of their income for religious work. Kumar also touched Ayodhya issue and said the dispute could be resolved either through court order or mutual love and respect of the two communities. “Hatdharmi (stubbornness) could not solve a problem…the dispute can be resolved either through court order or mutual love and respect of the two communities,” he added. Dwarka Sankracharya made light of Modi building world’s tallest statue of liberty and praised Kumar for constructing world’s biggest temple. “The world’s tallest statue of liberty of ‘iron man’ Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel cannot be worshipped but the world’s biggest temple of Lord Rama constructed by Nitish Kumar can be worshipped,” he said. PTI