Inspired by the devotional sentiment of Sanatan Dharma, a retired bureaucrat has offered his life’s earnings, totaling `5 crore, in obeisance to Lord Vishnu with the words, ‘Tera Tujhko Arpan; Kya Laage Mera’ (it is all yours and nothing mine). This contribution is dedicated to the construction and related paraphernalia for the completion of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The temple is scheduled to open its doors in January 2022.
The devotee has not only dedicated his financial savings but also all his movable and immovable property to the purpose of Bhakti. Inspired by the lines from Lord Vishnu’s Aarti, “My offering to you, what will I like?” S Lakshmi Narayanan, former Union Home Secretary of the 1970 IAS batch, has devoted his life’s earnings to Ram Lalla. Although the donor has chosen not to seek public credit, sources in the Temple Trust reveal that, following the consecration of Lord Ram, the donor has committed to commissioning a 151 kg Ramcharitmanas at a cost of `5 crore, which will be installed in front of the idol.
Each page of this epic, comprising 10,902 verses, will be crafted from copper. The emerald will be dipped in 24-carat gold, and gold-studded letters will be inscribed. This ambitious endeavor will necessitate 140 kg of copper and five to seven kg of gold, with other metals being employed for decoration. To fund the creation of this unique book, Narayanan has made the decision to sell all his properties and empty his bank accounts. The resulting work, the ‘Manas,’ will be reverently placed near the feet of Ramlala, as revealed by sources within the trust to The Pioneer.
Narayanan, who recently visited the holy town of Ayodhya with his wife, sought permission from Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, regarding his desire to make a donation.
The largest asset financing NBFC in India announced the election of Narayanan as Chairman by the Board of Directors of the company in a board meeting held in Colombo on January 24, 2015. Narayanan has served as an Independent Director of STFC since September 2009. In addition to his distinguished career in civil services, Narayanan has also served as Chairman in a major finance company.
In an interview with Rai, it was mentioned that around `1,800 crore is expected to be spent on the construction of the Ram Temple. Rai also stated that 70,000-75,000 people could have easy darshan if the temple is open for 12 hours. Sources reveal that the firm responsible for preparing the design for the new Parliament has agreed to create the gold-studded Ramcharitmanas.
In a brief interaction with the temple community, the retired IAS officer shared that he received his name due to a vow made to Goddess Lakshmi. During pregnancy, his mother had prayed at Delhi’s Birla Temple, also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple, pledging that if she had a son, she would name him Lakshmi Narayan.
“God has blessed me abundantly throughout my life. I have held prominent positions and my life has been prosperous. Even after retirement, I continue to receive a significant income. Despite this, I am a person of simple tastes, content with basic necessities. My pension remains largely untouched. I believe in returning what God has bestowed upon me. I find it more meaningful to offer His book at the feet of God rather than accumulating wealth in the name of charity,” shared the former Union Home Secretary, accompanied by his wife Saraswati, as he conveyed his thoughts to the people in the temple trust.
In an interview, Nripendra Misra, Chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, stated that the funds for the temple construction are entirely sourced from devotees, with no government involvement. As of the end of September this year, approximately `3,500 crore has been collected through donations.
On January 15, 2021, the then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, initiated the contributions toward the construction of the Ram Mandir by donating `5,01,000. The first phase of the project is set to be completed by the end of next month, allowing pilgrims to witness Lord Ram in his child form before January 26, 2024. Preparations are underway for the grand inauguration of the much-awaited temple on the banks of the Saryu river in 2024, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22, 2024. The puja for the occasion will commence on January 14, coinciding with the celebration of Makar Sankranti, and the installation of Lord Ram’s idol in the Garbhagriha of the Ram Mandir is scheduled for January 22.
“Jai Siya Ram! Today is a day full of emotions. Recently, officials from the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust visited my residence and invited me to Ayodhya for the consecration of the Shri Ram Temple. I feel truly blessed. It is my good fortune that in my lifetime, I will witness this historic occasion,” posted PM Modi on social media last month.”
