‘In a dream world’: Ram Lalla sculptor Arun Yogiraj returns home from Ayodhya after 6 months of ‘national work’

Karnataka sculptor Arun Yogiraj, who returned from Ayodhya after attending the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla’s idol – carved by him from black stone – was given a grand welcome at the Bengaluru airport. His mother, wife and other family members welcomed him, while BJP workers present there also showered flowers on him amid slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

In an exclusive interview with news18, Yogiraj and his wife Vijeta talked about how emotional it was to see each other after almost six months. Part:

You have returned to your home state after a long time. What does this moment mean to you?

Arun Yogiraj: I’m surprised, I never thought about this. I was isolated for a long time and did not know what was happening outside. I can’t explain that feeling; A huge crowd had gathered to welcome me. I never thought that I would be able to earn so much in my lifetime.

Being away from home for almost six months must have been a challenge. After overcoming those challenges, you created a statue, what will you say looking back?

This was an important national project. I was waiting for ‘Pran Pratistha’. This is a history of 500 years and it was a big responsibility for me. I haven’t celebrated yet. People are loving it and I feel like I am in a dream world right now.

Have you received any significant response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others?

I have heard from sources that the Prime Minister and others are quite happy; The devotees are happy and I am lucky for that. God has truly blessed me.

What is your next goal and how do you plan to pursue your next projects?

I have not taken up any project for the last nine months. I wasn’t connected at all. I will take a decision on this next week, but I will give priority to national work first and then others.

You are meeting your husband after almost six months; Have you ever imagined a moment where everyone wants to take pictures with them and congratulate them?

the winner: I did not expect that we would get a chance to welcome him like this. Many people are present here to welcome him. I thought it would be just my family but I was surprised to see a sea of ​​people.

What is your first message to your husband?

My first message to her is: ‘I missed you.’

When Arun got the job of making the idol of Ramlala, what kind of conversation did you have?

He said that I have a difficult task ahead of me but I have to achieve this goal. The scale of the research he did was immense and that too while being away from his family for such a long time.

You and your mother-in-law called it exile, what are your plans now after reaching Mysore?

We have big plans to welcome him. Away from home, he missed home-cooked food a lot. So, I will cook all his favorite dishes like bisibelebath, vangibath etc.

What kind of work is he most interested in? What will be the priority?

He worked very hard for this. We want to keep the tradition alive. Arun will continue to do such work in future also.