Unraveling the Scientific Significance of the ‘Surya Tilak’ Ritual at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple
Today, at noon, during the celebration of Ram Navami, a remarkable event took place at the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya. A beam of sunlight, known as ‘Surya Tilak’, precisely illuminated the forehead of the Ram Lalla idol, measuring 5.8 centimeters. This feat was achieved through the collaboration of ten esteemed Indian scientists stationed at the temple, who utilized cutting-edge technology to direct sunlight onto the deity’s forehead for approximately 3 to 3.5 minutes. The temple trust commissioned a specialized apparatus, named the ‘Surya Tilak mechanism’, designed by scientists from a prominent government institution. This marks a significant achievement in both scientific and engineering realms.
Dr. Pradeep Kumar Ramacharla, Scientist and Director at the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) in Roorkee, provided a detailed explanation of the optomechanical system to NDTV.
He described the system as comprising four mirrors and four lenses housed within a tilt mechanism and piping system. A cover with an aperture for the tilt mechanism is positioned on the top floor to redirect sunlight through the mirrors and lenses to the Garbha Girha.
Ramacharla elaborated that the sun’s rays are ultimately focused on the east-facing forehead of Shree Ram using the final lens and mirror. The tilt mechanism enables adjustment of the first mirror’s angle, directing the sunlight towards the north to reach the second mirror, thereby creating the Surya Tilak every year on Shree Ram Navami.
All components, including piping and other parts, are crafted from brass for durability. The mirrors and lenses are of high quality to ensure longevity. Additionally, surfaces inside the pipes, elbows, and enclosures are coated with black powder to prevent sunlight scattering. An infrared filter glass is installed at the top aperture to mitigate the impact of the Sun’s heat waves on the idol’s forehead.
Scientists from CBRI, Roorkee, and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIAP), Bengaluru, collaborated on the development of the ‘Surya Tilak’ mechanism. This innovative system, incorporating a special gearbox along with reflective mirrors and lenses, was designed to precisely direct sunlight rays from the temple’s third floor to the inner sanctum (Garbha Griha) using established solar tracking principles. Technical assistance from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics and manufacturing expertise from Optica, a Bengaluru-based company, were crucial for the successful execution of the project.
Dr. Pradeep Chauhan, a Scientist at the Central Building Research Institute, expressed confidence that the ‘Surya Tilak’ would ceremoniously anoint the statue of Ram Lalla. To ensure the timely occurrence of this auspicious ritual on Ram Navami, which follows the lunar calendar, the team implemented intricate arrangements involving 19 gears, all without relying on electricity, batteries, or iron-based components.
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, renowned for its expertise in astronomy, devised a solution to reconcile the differences between the lunar and solar calendars. Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam, Director of IIA, explained how their expertise in positional astronomy was applied to ensure that the Sun’s rays, represented by the ‘Surya Tilak’, could ceremoniously anoint the idol of Ram Lala on every Ram Navami.
Key members of the project team from CSIR-CBRI include Dr. SK Panigrahi, Dr. RS Bisht, Mr. Kanti Solanki, Mr. V. Chakradhar, Mr. Dinesh, and Mr. Sameer, with Prof. R. Pradeep Kumar, Director of CSIR-CBRI, providing mentorship. From IIA Bangalore, Dr. Annapurni S., Er S. Sriram, and Professor Tushar Prabhu served as consultants. Mr. Rajinder Kotaria, Managing Director of Optica, along with his team, including Mr. Nagraj, Mr. Vivek, and Mr. Thava Kumar, were actively involved in the execution and installation process.
While similar ‘Surya Tilak’ mechanisms exist in some Jain temples and the Sun Temple at Konark, they are engineered differently.
