The sacred Shaligram: 140 mn-year-old stones to be used for the idol of Lord Ram in Ayodhya

Referring to a Geological Survey of India publication from 1904, Walters wrote that shaligram stones “date specifically from the Early Oxfordian to the Late Tithonian Age near the end of the Jurassic Period some 165-140 million years ago”.

Mostly found in riverbeds or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in Nepal, this stone is revered by Hindus who believe it to be a representation of Lord Vishnu. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu was cursed to become the shaligram stone for “betraying the chastity of the goddess Tulsi”, Walter wrote in her book.

The stone is considered to have divine powers and is seen as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Why use the shaligram stone in the Ram temple?

Lord Ram is believed to be the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, and the use of the shaligram stone symbolises the connection between the two gods. The two stones were welcomed by people in Ayodhya by offering prayers, flowers, and bursting firecrackers.

VHP leader Rajendra Singh Pankaj told The Indian Express that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had been thinking of using the shaligram stone for a long time to make the idol of Lord Ram. “So when Janaki temple authorities offered the same, the trust gave its consent,” he said.