In another news that could enthuse the devotees of Lord Rama, the Congress government in Chhattisgarh has decided to develop an existing temple which is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama’s mother Kaushalya, according to a report by The Indian Express. The development of the temple, for which the state government has planned to spend Rs 15 crore, will be done in such a way that its original form remains intact. The move to develop the ancient temple is said to have been taken by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel himself who wants to develop the temple in a style that resembles the mythological cities. The Bhoomi Pujan for the refurbishment of the temple was completed on December 22 last year and the construction is expected to pick pace by the end of August.
Nearly 22 km away from the state capital Raipur, the temple is located in the middle of a lake surrounded by Chadkhuri village. Like most Lord Rama temples which are located at close proximity with Lord Hanuman’s abode, this temple is also accessed by walking on a bridge named Hanuman Pul towered over by a statue of Lord Hanuman. The temple which opens to a small sanctum sanctorum has an idol of Devi Kaushalya holding her child Lord Ram in her lap. Rajesh Dhiwar, a local resident of the village told The Indian Express that the temple has existed since time immemorial and nobody is sure when the idols appeared. He also said that the temple had been damaged and rebuilt many times. The temple is believed to have been constructed in the 8th century and was most recently re-innovated in 1973.
Apart from the refurbishment of Devi Kaushalya’s temple, the state government is also developing nine out of the 51 spots that have been traced to have a connection with Lord Rama. The government has plans to spend about Rs 137 crore in the development of these sites which in addition to their socio-religious significance could boost tourism in the state. All the spots are believed to be a part of the Dandakaranya forest where Lord Rama, along with his consort Lordess Sita and brother Lord Lakshman spent time during his exile from Ayodhya.
Politics over the refurbishment of the temple erupted soon after the decision was taken by the state government. BJP leader Brij Mohan Agarwal told The Indian Express that the people who had challenged the existence of Lord Rama some years ago have suddenly started showing their devotion to Lord Rama. On the other hand, CM Bhupesh Bhagel who visited the site of the temple recently on July 29 took a dig at the BJP by saying that while the party was celebrating the birthplace of Lord Rama, it had ignored his mother’s birthplace.