‘Our Ram is ready to take on the enemy with a smile’

As the countdown to the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya begins, eminent sculptor Ram Sutar and his son Anil Sutar are eager to get a green signal from the Uttar Pradesh government to give a final shape to the statue of Lord Ram which will be erected on the banks of Saryu river.

“In 2018, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had selected our specimen of the statue but after that, we haven’t heard from the officials,” said Mr. Anil, speaking for his 95-year-old father. At 251 metres, he said it is going to be the tallest statue in the world. “During our meeting, the CM said he wanted the statue to be totally indigenous and we promised him the same,” said Mr. Anil.

The demand came in the light of news at the time of the unveiling of Sardar Patel’s Statue of Unity, also designed by the Sutars, that a large amount of bronze used in the statue was imported from China. “It simply depends on the demand. Earlier, there was not much demand for such tall statues. To meet the requirement, we have to increase the capacity of our workshop,” he said.

The Ram statue, he said, would be seen holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in another. “The idea is to show him ready to take on the enemy. But there is no attempt to show him in an aggressive form. There would a pleasing smile on his face, reflecting equanimity which is the hallmark of his personality.”