Ayodhya Ram Temple: How CBRI constructed the first fire- & flood-resistant tent for makeshift structure three decades ago

In the middle of a scorching summer in 1996, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra approached the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee fearing risks to the makeshift temple in Ayodhya from fire hazards.

Concerned about the vulnerability of the makeshift structure to fire, flood and wear and tear caused by the harsh weather, the  Ram Janmabhoomi trust sought help from CBRI, part of the the 1942-founded research and development organisation, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.

Constructed from combustible material like wooden pole, rope and cotton-made canvas, the makeshift structure, built after the demolition of the 16th century Babri Masjid in 1992, needed immediate protection from the risk of fire. The scientists from CBRI, then based in the undivided Uttar Pradesh before Roorkee became part of the new state of Uttarakhand in 2000, quickly responded to the request.

"Utilising a specially formulated coating, our scientists treated 400 square meters of cotton canvas, cotton thread and wooden poles, enhancing their strength of properties by as much as 20 percent," says Pradeep Kumar Singh Chauhan, the CBRI spokesperson and senior principal scientist.

A CBRI team led by chief scientist Harpal Singh created a fire and flood resistant tent in 1996. Seven years later, another new fire-retardant tent was built and delivered to the trust. It was followed by a new tent in 2015. "The new tents were required after aging periods," says Chauhan, a scientist with specialisation in geophysics.

"This collaboration between CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee and the management authorities of Ram Janmabhoomi reflects a longstanding commitment to preserving the sacred site and ensuring the safety of the revered Ram Lalla idol," explains Chauhan.

After the Supreme Court verdict in November 2019 ordering handing over the disputed land where the demolished structure stood for construction of a new Ram temple to a trust, CBRI was back on the ground again. On August 13, 2020, eight days after the laying of the foundation stone for a new temple, scientists from the organisation reached the spot to conduct tests on the site.

Founded in 1942, Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee is part of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.

A CBRI team of N Gopalakrishnan, a former CBRI director, and R Pradeep Kumar carried out Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves, a test to determine properties of the ground, and Electrical Resistivity Tomography, to test resilience to earthquakes. A dedicated team, consisting of CBRI experts like Chauhan, Manojit Samanta, DP Kanungo, Anindya Pain, Koushik Pandit, Ganesh Kumar and M Vinoth conducted periodic data collection.

"The institute was involved in several aspects of foundation design and retaining structures, including settlement monitoring of the foundation, health monitoring of the super-structure and the retaining wall," says Chauhan. "We took on the responsibility of the 3-D structural analysis and design for the prestigious Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya, designed by the renowned architectural firm Sompura CB from Ahmedabad."

The institute conducted extensive material testing on the Banshi Paharpur sandstone and employed Finite Element Analysis, a structural analysis tool, for structural safety over various scenarios like earthquakes and storms. The scientists created 50 computer models, based on the design provided by the architect, for architectural integrity and structural endurance and finally chose a model that preserved the Nagara style of architecture.

"The proposed modifications enhanced the structure's architecture while maintaining safety against a 2,500-year return period for earthquakes. Notably, the dry-jointed structure designed for a 1,000-year lifespan consists solely of interlocked stone, without steel reinforcement," adds Chauhan about the work of the CBRI team — which built the 3-D computer model in the institute's laboratory — led by Debdutta Ghosh under the guidance of former CBRI director Gopalakrishnan and current director Ramancharla Pradeep Kumar, and included scientists Hina Gupta and Manojit Samanta.

"We did stress tests to see if the weight of the building would hold. Though Ayodhya falls in the seismic zone III, we considered the construction for seismic zone IV," says Chauhan.

Another highlight of CBRI's work in Ayodhya is its work on the Surya Tilak project to make sure the garbhagriha, the sanctum sanctorum, receives the rays of sun on the day of Ram Navami. An optical mechanical system created through astrophysical calculations based on the lunar calendar would ensure the rays of sun on Ram Lalla Idol on Ram Navami every year. The fabrication and installation of the optical-mechanical device will be carried out by the Bengaluru-based Optica, a precision optics company, with a CBRI team of scientists led by SK Panigrahi and includes R S Bisht, Kanti Lal Solanki, V Chakradhar, Dinesh and Sameer.

Founded in February 1947, before independence, with a mandate to provide building solutions for the nation, CBRI has designed homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The institute has also been associated with the Central Vista project and the new Parliament building. It also designed the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya central schools across the country.