East Champaran: The world’s largest Shiva Lingam has arrived in Bihar, drawing widespread attention and devotion as it prepares to be installed in East Champaran on January 17. The massive Sahasralingam, which stands 33 feet tall and weighs around 210 tonnes, is en route from Gopalganj to East Champaran for installation at the Virat Ramayana Temple complex. For many devotees, the arrival of the Lingam is being seen as a historic and spiritual moment for the state.
The Sahasralingam was carved from a single block of black granite in Pattikadu village near Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu. The work took nearly 10 years to complete and is closely linked to the vision of the late Padma Shri awardee Acharya Kishore Kunal. On November 21, the sculpture began its long journey to Bihar on a specially built 96-wheeled trailer. Over 45 days, it travelled through several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, before finally reaching Bihar.
As the Lingam moved through different regions, people gathered in large numbers to welcome it. In Gopalganj district, special arrangements were made at places such as Balathari and Chainpatti, where welcome gates were set up and prayers, aarti and devotional music were organised. According to Sayan Kunal, secretary of the Mahavir Sthan Trust Committee, the main rituals, including pedestal worship and havan, will be performed on January 17 at the Virat Ramayana Temple site in Kaithwalia near Kesariya.
Water collected from several holy places, including Haridwar, Prayagraj, Gangotri, Kailash Mansarovar and Sonpur, will be used during the installation ceremony. Organisers have also planned a flower shower from a helicopter to mark the occasion. The consecration ceremony will take place in a later phase, following the installation.
The Virat Ramayana Temple is being built on around 120 acres of land by the Mahavir Mandir Trust Committee. Once completed, the complex will include 18 spires, 22 temples and a main spire rising to about 270 feet. Key structures such as the entrance gate, Nandi statue and the platform for the Shiva Lingam have already been completed. Trust officials say the project will make Bihar a major centre for religious tourism and, once finished, could become the largest temple complex in the world.
