Who exactly is Satya Prakash Sharma? Man in charge of Ram Mandir’s 400-kilogram lock

Satya Prakash Sharma, an advanced-age artisan from Aligarh, a renowned hub for intricate handcrafted locks, has masterminded an incredible feat – a 400 kg lock designed exclusively for the forthcoming Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which is expected to open its sanctum to devotees in January of the following year.

Satya Prakash Sharma created what is billed as the “world’s largest handmade lock” over the course of many months. This massive masterpiece measures 10 feet tall, spans 4.5 feet in breadth, and has a tremendous thickness of 9.5 inches.

 

Notably, his loyal partner in this endeavour is none other than his wife, Rukmani, a vital partner who has been with him every step of the way.

 

 

 

A four-foot key is included with this enormous masterwork, which was created with the Ram Temple’s soul profoundly etched in its design.

 

The first sight of this lock was shown to the public earlier this year during the annual Aligarh display. Since its debut, this outstanding piece of art has witnessed continuous development, carved and embellished by Sharma’s skill.

 

Sharma is said to have spent months of hard effort on this invention, with the goal of bestowing the lock on the caretakers of the Ram temple later this year. It is said that he dedicated a significant portion of his hard-earned life savings, roughly Rs 2 lakh, to the fulfilment of this goal.

 

The Ayodhya Ram Mandir is set to open to the public on January 25, 2024. A pran pratishtha ritual, conferring life and holiness to the temple’s deities, is scheduled to take place from January 15 to January 24.

 

The route to the temple’s fulfillment was charted by a major Supreme Court decision in late 2019, which culminated a decades-long struggle.

 

Since 1996, the installation of this monument has been an unbroken feature in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) electoral program.