Arun Yogiraj emerged as the epitome of a sculptor's resolve, passion and dedication in crafting the Ram Lalla idol.
Arun Yogiraj, the celebrated Indian sculptor, has always been more comfortable with stones than with speaking to an audience.
Born into a family of sculptors from Mysuru, he is the fifth generation to carry on the tradition.
His grandfather, Basavanna Shilpi was his first teacher who always told Arun, “spend time with stones so that one day, the stones will listen to you.”
Arun took this advice to heart, spending at least 10 hours a day chiseling away, letting his hands speak what his words couldn’t.
Deeply attached to his roots and culture, Arun specialized in ‘shilpa sashtra’, or the art of sculpting.
Over the years, he crafted many remarkable statues including a 28-feet statue of Subhash Chandra Bose, prominently displayed behind the Amar Jawan Jyoti near India Gate, a 12-feet tall sculpture of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath and a 21-feet tall Hanuman statue in Mysore.
“Each time I started work on these creations, I thought that these would become my biggest and last opportunities that I would ever get in my lifetime,” Arun says.
But little did he know that his biggest opportunity and challenge was waiting for him.
The awaited call
In April of last year, Arun received an unexpected call from the Ram Mandir Trust. They wanted him to participate in the selection process for sculpting the Ram Lalla idol.
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Arun shares that initially his name was missed out from the selection process.
“It was Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, the Executive and Academic Head of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), who remembered and invited me to join the process,” Arun says.
He felt honored, sensing the historic weight of the opportunity. He was of the three sculptors chosen by the selection committee.
From research to creation
The initial months were challenging, with no clear references for Ram Lalla.
The selection process required Arun to research extensively, as he was tasked with sculpting a representation of Lord Ram as a 5-year-old child. Spending time with children between the ages of 3 and 9 became his routine, trying to grasp the nuances of a child’s form.
Finally, in June 2023, Arun began his sculpting work. Amidst immense pressure and expectations from the nation, Arun poured his heart and soul into his work, completing 70% of it by August.
From disappointment to dedication
A setback came for Arun when Nripendra Misra, the chairman of the Ram temple construction committee informed him of a negative report in the stone. This prompted Arun to start over.
“I was very disappointed as I had spent around three months working on the idol with lot of love and passion,” Arun says.
Disheartened yet determined, Arun resumed his work in September, encouraged by the support of Champat Rai, General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra who visited him during this trying time.
Despite the challenges, Arun persevered, completing the idol by December, and handed it over to the trustees.
Also Read: Ayodhya Ram mandir pran pratishtha successful after centuries of longing
Through this journey, he learned the importance of staying calm and believing in oneself, especially during a crisis.
“This was the most challenging project for me. The entire nation was waiting for this moment. I knew that with focus and determination, anything is possible,” Arun says.
(Arun Yogiraj, Renowned Sculptor & Artist, was a speaker at the 8th Edition of the Global Business Summit in New Delhi).
