About 90 km from what will be a Babri Mosque replica in Murshidabad, a newly erected signboard on a 15- bigha land announced the construction of an Ayodhya-style Ram Temple in Nadia district’s Shantipur. However, unlike Ayodhya, the idol of Lord Ram will be as depicted in Krittivasi Ramayan, composed by 14th century Bengali poet Krittibas Ojha, who lived in Phulia.
According to Sri Krittibas Ram Mandir Trust, the organisation behind the initiative, the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the temple will be held in February.
The initiative, though, taken in 2017, is being renewed barely a few months before the Assembly elections.
Located in Champatolla, Sadhurghat in Shantipur, the temple is around 90 km from Beldanga, where former TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, now heading Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) party, laid the foundation stone for the Babri mosque replica.
The move also comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurating the Jagannath Dham in Digha, and laying the foundation stone for Durgangan in New Town and Mahakal temple in Siliguri.
Arindam Bhattacharya, former Congress MLA who later joined BJP and also the president of the Trust, said, “This is not a political move. It is a religious and cultural initiative taken in 2017 when I was an MLA in Shantipur. Later, I was away and our team dispersed. Now once again we have started to work on the project. In 2017, the area for the proposed temple was earmarked along with the river ghat beside it.”
“The temple is a part of revitalising and preserving our culture here. Apart from the temple, the complex will house a research centre, digital heritage hub, and a cultural centre,” Bhattacharya said.
“Though the temple will be a replica of the Ayodhya Ram temple, the deity will be as depicted in Krittivasi Ramayan. Lord Ram will be green in complexion and will be at the sanctorum with Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman,” he added.
According to Bhattacharya, the Trust already has 15 bighas (around 9.73 acres) of land for the temple, and the design of both the temple and the idol has been finalised.
Though the main temple will be styled after Ayodhya Ram Mandir, surrounding it will be a 15th century terracotta design bearing the essence of the architecture typical of this area.
According to the Trust, once completed, (scheduled in 2028), it will also host a training centre and hub of religious tourism. “The plan is to lay the foundation stone in February. The date is not fixed yet. The entire project cost is around Rs 100 crores. There are 27 Trust members, including some NRIs who are pooling in funds along with their friends,” said Bhattacharya.
Secretary of the Trust, Litan Bhattacharya, who gave 10 bighas of land for the proposed temple, said, “We are highlighting this place as Sridham of Shantipur. The temple will be constructed just 100 metres away from the birthplace of Krittibas Ojha.”
Krittibas Ojha, born in Phulia, was a 14th century poet who translated Ramayan in Bengali. His Ramayan called “Sri Ram Panchali”, tried to address the caste division within Hindus in medieval Bengal.