Patna: Preparations are underway for the installation of a Nandi idol near the world’s largest Shivling at the upcoming Virat Ramayan Temple complex in East Champaran, with temple authorities aiming to complete the installation by December this year.
Officials associated with the project said construction at the temple site has progressed up to the ground level, while work on the Argha — the pedestal base for the Shivling — is also expected to be completed within the year.
The Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Committee has approached renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj for the construction of the Nandi idol. Yogiraj, best known for sculpting the Ram Lalla idol installed at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, is likely to visit the Virat Ramayan Temple site within a week, according to officials.
Temple authorities are also preparing to begin Rudrabhishek rituals during the holy month of Sawan. Devotees wishing to participate in the rituals will have to book slots in advance, with timings to be allotted according to a fixed schedule.
Padma Shri awardee Acharya Kishore Kunal, secretary of the Mahavir Sthan Nyas Committee, has directed agencies involved in the project to speed up construction work.
According to committee officials, the agency overseeing the temple construction has been assigned a total work target of 46,315.73 cubic metres. However, only 14,135.10 cubic metres of work had been completed by April 2026. Authorities indicated that another agency could be brought in if the pace of work does not improve. Tenders for the construction of the boundary wall have already been issued.
The Virat Ramayan Temple, considered the dream project of Acharya Kishore Kunal, is being developed on a 120-acre site at Janakinagar in Kaithwalia, around 120 kilometres from Patna. The temple complex is planned to include 18 shikhars and 22 separate temples.
The project will also feature a large prayer hall with a capacity to accommodate nearly 20,000 devotees at a time.
A 33-foot Shivling — claimed to be the world’s largest — has already been installed at the site, where thousands of devotees are arriving daily for worship and darshan, temple authorities said.
