Ahead of the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Darbar in Ayodhya, sculptor Satyanarayan shared insights into the intricate preparations for the sacred idols.

The Ram Darbar has idols of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, the sun god, Goddess Durga, Lord Hanuman and many others, says the sculptor.

At the foot of the mound he erected enormous stone statues, standing between 10 and 30 feet high. The construction of Nemrut Dağ would have been a huge challenge both artistically and logistically.

This statue covered in gold leaf and semiprecious stones may have been used in ancient Mesopotamian sunrise rituals.