Kaushalya Dham in Chandkhuri, near Raipur in Chhattisgarh, is preparing to welcome a new, grand statue of Lord Ram. The new statue will be 51 feet high and will be installed at the site, which is believed to be the maternal home of Lord Ram. The statue is being created by Deepak Vishwakarma, a prominent sculptor from Gwalior, along with his team. The sandstone statue is divided into three parts for ease of transport and will be assembled on location. The project has already cost between 72 and 74 lakh rupees.
According to sculptor Deepak Vishwakarma, the work was momentarily paused because of payment-related issues. However, the statue is now complete and will be transported to Chhattisgarh within a week.
Chandkhuri’s Kaushalya Mata Temple is unique in India as it depicts Mata Kaushalya holding Lord Ram. The temple, established in the 10th century, is particularly noteworthy for its serene surroundings.
A previous 51-foot statue, installed in 2021 during the Congress regime, faced criticism from BJP leaders regarding its appearance. Brijmohan Agrawal, former Religious Affairs Minister in the BJP government, had declared the intention to install a new statue. The new installation is anticipated to further enhance the beauty of Kaushalya Dham.