Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
On the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami, the forehead of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya will be adorned with a ‘Surya tilak,’ made possible by a sophisticated mechanism involving mirrors and lenses. This marks the first Ram Navami since the consecration of the Ram idol at the new temple on January 22.
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Dr. S K Panigrahi, a scientist at CSIR-CBRI Roorkee, explained that the primary aim of the Surya Tilak project is to focus sunlight onto the forehead of the Shri Ram idol every Shri Ram Navami day in the Chaitra month
The planned size of the tilak is 58 mm, lasting approximately three to three-and-a-half minutes, with two minutes of full illumination. Devotees will be permitted inside the Ram temple during the Surya tilak, facilitated by around 100 LEDs provided by the temple trust and 50 by the government.
Dr. D P Kanungo, chief scientist at CSIR-CBRI Roorkee, emphasized the meticulous planning and implementation of the Surya Tilak system to ensure utmost accuracy, serving as a testament to indigenous technological development and scientific acumen.
In the event of cloudy weather, artificial light is not utilized due to the faith and belief of the devotees. The CSIR-CBRI Roorkee team, in consultation with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore, has devised a mechanism to steer sunlight from the temple’s third floor to the ‘garbha griha.’
The comprehensive design to direct sunlight to the garbha griha was developed by CBRI, with consultancy from IIA Bangalore. Optics and Allied Engg Pvt Ltd (Optica), a Bangalore-based company, fabricated the optical elements and related components.
A scaled-down model suitable for the Roorkee locality was successfully validated before implementing the opto-mechanical system in the Ram temple. The installation, completed in the first week of April, involved repeated trials and collaboration between CSIR-CBRI, IIA Bangalore, and Optica Bangalore.
The opto-mechanical system comprises four mirrors and four lenses fitted inside a tilt mechanism and piping system. The Sun rays are diverted through mirrors and lenses to focus on the forehead of Shri Ram, facilitated by precise adjustments using the tilt mechanism.
High-quality and durable mirrors, lenses, and brass materials are used in the construction of the system to ensure longevity. Additionally, measures such as black powder coating and IR filter glass are employed to enhance efficiency and safety during the ceremony.