On Monday, all that glittered was
Ram Lalla
. As many as 132 craftsmen worked round the clock to put together the
jewellery
that adorns the main idol. The collection comprises 14 pieces — mukut, tilak, emerald ring, ruby ring, a short round necklace, a panchlada (five- layered necklace), vijay mala, kamar and baju bandh (waist and arm belt), kangan (bangle), pag kada (ankle band), gold payal apart from dhanush and baan (bow and arrow).
It has a total of 18,567 round brilliant diamonds, 2,984 rubies, 615 emeralds, and 439 uncut diamonds, as per the certification reports.
The gold mukut, decorated with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, weighs roughly 1.7 kg. It contains around 75 carats in diamonds, 135 carats of Zambian emeralds and 262 carats of rubies apart from other gemstones.
Ankur Anand, CEO, Harsahaimal Shiamlal Jewellers (HSJ), Lucknow, which designed and manufactured all the jewellery for the main idol, said they took inspiration from Hindu texts and the TV show ‘Ramayan’. “The mukut is the most beautiful adornment of Sri Ram Lalla. The sun in the centre is the Suryavanshi logo that denotes the lineage of Sri Ram Lalla. The peacock, which is also our national bird, has always been a sign of royalty. The emerald indicates wisdom and rubies are the stones of Surya (sun god). The natural diamonds signify purity and honesty,” explained Anand.
The tilak, seen as a protective emblem shielding devotees from spiritual and physical harm, features a dazzling three-carat diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds and Burmese rubies. They were used in a manner that the “first sun rays of the morning fall on the tilak, as was briefed to us by the prime minister,” said Anand, whose company has a 130-year-old legacy of designing special collections for various temples in Vrindavan, Bareilly, Budaun, and Aligarh.
Tehmasp Printer, CEO, IGI, said there was an emphasis on craftsmanship and quality. “The highest quality of gemstones, certified by International Gemological Institute (IGI), were used besides being ethically sourced. Shri Ram Lalla’s jewellery collection represents the rich cultural heritage of India and is an exceptional showcase of the artistry and craftsmanship of Indian jewellers,” Printer explained.
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