The final phase of Mata Kaushalya Mandir’s restoration — said to be the only temple in the world with Kaushlaya, Ram’s mother, as its deity — is currently underway in Chhattisgarh’s Chandkhuri, near the capital Raipur. With ₹32 crore sanctioned for it, the restoration is part of the previous Congress government’s Ram Van Gaman Paripath corridor (under the project, all sites in the State, which Ram is believed to have visited during his exile, are to be connected).
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Literature suggests that the temple was constructed between the 9th and the 11th centuries. In the 1970s, it got its first facelift. The periphery was given a ‘grand look’ with dholpur stones. The design of a portion of the temple is inspired by the upcoming Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The temple is located in the middle of a pond. The new changes include deepening the pond, reshaping it to resemble the mystical diagram of shri yantra (that comprises triangles and lotus petals symbolising divinity), and reconstructing the connecting bridge to increase its carrying capacity.
New ghats have also been built on both sides of the temple to accommodate more people during aartis and other rituals. A large jyoti kalash kaksh with heat-limiting design, where 2,000 earthen lamps can be lit, is also part of the beautification drive. Dormitories and rooms will be constructed. Included in the plan is a sound and light show to highlight the historical links between Chhattisgarh and Ayodhya according to Hindu mythology. The restoration has had a carry-over effect: Chandkhuri, a nagar panchayat, is now better connected by road to Raipur.
