Ram Navami 2024: Expert breaks down execution of Ram Lalla's 'Surya tilak' ceremony

At noon today on the occasion of Ram Navami, the sun's rays fell on the forehead of Ram Lalla at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, a 'Surya tilak' of the deity made possible by an elaborate mechanism that involves mirrors and lenses.

The “Surya Tilak” was designed by a team of scientists led by S K Panigrahi. Senior Scientist at CBRI Debdutta Ghosh said the Indian Institute of Astrophysics gave inputs based on astronomical observations and also contributed to the mechanical and structural design for the “Surya Tilak”.

Now, Abhay Karandikar, the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology and Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay, has explained in detail how the Indian Institute of Astrophysics – an autonomous body under the DST – played a crucial role in facilitating the tilak.
The team, led by IIA Bengaluru, undertook multifaceted responsibilities, including precise calculations of the sun's position, optimisation of the optical system, and integration and alignment at the site. Despite the ongoing construction of the temple, the experts at IIA modified the design to harmonise with the existing structure, thereby ensuring the seamless execution of the Surya Tilak.

Notably, the Surya Tilak design, characterised by four mirrors and two lenses, served as the prototype for the ceremony. However, plans are underway to enhance the configuration with four mirrors and four lenses upon the temple's completion, Karandikar said in a X thread.

Navigating the nuances of the Lunar Calendar, the IIA team grappled with the dynamic nature of Sri Ram Navami's English calendar date, which undergoes annual fluctuations. Leveraging their expertise in astronomy, the scientists calculated the sun's trajectory to ensure the optimal alignment for the ceremony.

Integral to the success of the Surya Tilak Project was the intricate opto-mechanical design, meticulously tailored to facilitate the seamless transition of sunlight onto the idol for approximately six minutes, Karandikar wrote. Through a collaborative effort with Optica Bangalore for device manufacturing and CSIR CBRI for on-site implementation, the IIA team ensured the execution of the ceremony.
Karandikar ended his thread with an illustration explaining the sun light transportation principle that aided in the surya tilak.