LIGARH: A 400 kg lock was constructed by an elderly craftsman from Aligarh, known for its handcrafted locks, for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which is anticipated to open to devotees in January of next year..Satya Prakash Sharma, a devoted follower of Lord Ram, spent months creating the “largest handmade lock” that he will present to the Ram temple authorities later this year. According to members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, they will need to decide where the lock can be used because they are getting offerings from numerous devotees. In Aligarh, also known as “taala nagri” or the “land of locks,” Sharma has been hammering, grinding, and polishing locks for more than 45 years, but his family has been making handmade locks for more than a century. The lock was on show at the yearly Aligarh expo earlier this year, and Sharma said he wanted it to be flawless. Sharma is currently busy making little adjustments and embellishments to his creation. For me, it was a “labour of love,” and my wife Rukmani supported me in this difficult task, Sharma added. The lock is currently receiving finishing touches, according to Rukmani. “Earlier we had made a 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide lock, but some people suggested making a bigger lock so we started working on it,” Rukmani said. Sharma claims that the lock cost him roughly Rs 2 lakh, and he voluntarily invested his entire life’s savings in realising his dream project.”Since I’ve been in the lock-making business for decades and our city is known for locks, I thought of making a giant lock for the temple as nobody has done anything like this before,” he added. According to Ram Mandir Trust General Secretary Champat Rai on Friday, the temple trust will host the consecration ceremony at Ram Mandir on January 21, 22, and 23 of the following year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited.
