Balak Ram
Balak Ram (Sanskrit: बालकराम, lit. 'child Rama', IAST: Bālakarāma) is a form of Rama, an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, and is the presiding deity of the Ram Mandir, the third largest Hindu temple in the world.
| Bālak Ram | |
|---|---|
God of Childhood Childhood version of Rama | |
The central image of the deity at the Ram Mandir located at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya | |
| Other names | Ram Lalla Virajman |
| Devanagari | बालकराम |
| Sanskrit transliteration | Bālakarāma |
| Affiliation | Form of Vishnu/Rama |
| Abode | Ayodhya |
| Weapon | Bow and arrow |
Rama is one of the principal deities of Hinduism and is traditionally considered by Hindus as the seventh incarnation of Vishnu. This temple is located in Ram Janmabhoomi at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, and has been re-built to commemorate the birth of Rama at Ayodhya in Nagara style. The exact location of Rama's birthplace in the modern city of Ayodhya is subject to many controversies due to some historical events and is an important subject of political debate in India. Before the temple's inauguration, the deity was referred to by the previous name of Rām Lallā Virājamān. As Hindu devotees all over the world are thronging to have Darshan of this deity, the subsequent economic impact has been estimated to enrich the state of Uttar Pradesh by the end of the year 2024 by four trillion Indian rupees (equivalent to 48 billion US dollars). Giving its religious significance among Hindus, it is estimated that with 50 million annual visitors the Balak Ram's temple may soon emerge as one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world and even surpass that of Mecca and Vatican.