The murti of Ram Lalla, which will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum, reached the Ayodhya Ram temple on late Wednesday (18 January) evening.

The murti was lifted using a crane to place it in the sanctum sanctorum where it will be installed ahead of ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony.

Carved in black stone by Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj, the murti weighs around 150-200 kg. It was lifted by a crane from the truck that reached the temple along with a procession in the evening.

The procession also stopped briefly at the Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya in a symbolic halt.

A special puja was held in the sanctum sanctorum before the idol was brought inside.

The murti will likely be installed in the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday, said Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee chairperson Nripendra Mishra, NDTV reported.

The murti was brought inside the temple for the first time on Wednesday, which marked the second day of the weeklong rituals before Monday’s Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

Preparations to take the murti to the new Ram temple complex were on since last night.

The idol was placed on a truck decorated with flowers late at night for the procession with the help of a crane.

Meanwhile, a silver murti of Ram Lalla (not the same one to be installed in the sanctum sanctorum) garlanded with roses and marigolds toured the premises of Ram temple this evening.

A “Kalash Pujan” was held today as part of rituals being performed in the run-up to the 22 January event.