Ram Katha Sangrahalaya to be handed over to Temple trust

Lucknow, Aug 29: The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for handing over the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya (museum) in Ayodhya to it.

Principal Secretary (Tourism) Mukesh Meshram said: “The MoU is ready and soon it will be signed. The Ram Katha Sangrahalaya will be handed over to the Trust for which terms and conditions have been laid down.”

The Ram Katha Sangrahalaya was constructed in 2015 with a budget of Rs 12.31 crore. Located on a three-acre campus, the single-storey building has 18 rooms.

At present, the state Tourism Department runs the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya.

Experts from the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library, New Delhi, which was earlier known as Nehru Museum, will help the Trust in maintenance of the museum, its archaeology and iconography.

Four experts of the museum attended a meeting of the Ram Mandir construction committee in Ayodhya last week.

Earlier this year, Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram temple construction committee, wrote a letter to the state government requesting to hand over the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya to the Trust.

Initially, the Trust had planned a museum on the Ram Janmabhoomi campus along with the Ram Mandir, but the museum plan was dropped due to security reasons.

According to the Trust, artefacts recovered when the foundation of the temple was being laid in August 2020 will be displayed in the museum.

“Experts from the Prime Ministers’ Museum will also guide the Trust on what could be displayed in the Ayodhya Museum,” said a member of the Trust.

The Trust has also identified 11 historic structures inside the Ram Janmabhoomi campus that will be preserved and restored in their original form.

Kuber Tila, Sita Koop, Sita Rasoi and Nal, Neel, Angad, and Sugreev Tilas are among them.