Bangalore:Arun Yogiraj, a renowned sculptor who was behind the famous Ram Lalla statue at the Ayodhya Temple, has not been able to obtain a visa to travel to the United States, his family sources said on Wednesday. The Mysuru-based sculptor was supposed to travel to the US this month on a 20-day trip, they said.
Yogiraj, 41, was scheduled to attend the 12th AKKA (Kannada Kootas Association of America) World Kannada Conference in Richmond, Virginia. He was also scheduled to attend other events in the US. However, the US authorities denied him a visa for unknown reasons, putting an end to his planned trip.
“He had applied for a visa, filled out all the fields on the form and submitted the necessary documents, but his application was rejected. The reason is unknown,” said a relative. The US embassy has not given any reason for the visa denial.
Yogiraj, an MBA graduate from Mysuru, has carved a niche for himself by gaining notoriety for sculpting the impressive 51-inch Ram Lalla statue for the Ayodhya temple, the 28-feet-tall Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue near India Gate and the 12-feet-tall Adiguru Shankaracharya statue at Kedarnath. All three statues were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I am the luckiest person on Earth. The blessings of my ancestors, my relatives, ‘kul devta’ and Lord Ram Lalla have always been with me and have helped me complete this task,” he told India TV in an exclusive interview in January. “My biggest concern was that the nation appreciates and loves this idol of Lord Ram and my aim was to connect the nation.”
The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony after the hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who conducted the ceremony. The event was attended by around 8,000 guests, including 1,500-1,600 eminent guests.
Thousands of temples, government buildings, railway stations, institutions and shops were decorated to celebrate the occasion. Ayodhya witnessed fireworks and light and sound shows in the evening to mark the event. Various ghats in the country were also decorated and illuminated with special lights to welcome Lord Ram. Religious processions and community langars were also organised in various cities. Overall, the country was in a festive mood on the day of the inauguration of the Ram Mandir.
(with contributions from agencies)
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