Ayodhya Shrines Get Wooden Doors from Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Detailed wooden doors carved by Hyderabad-based artisans are set to be installed in newly constructed shrines around the Ram Mandir complex in Ayodhya. These installations, part of the temple site’s ongoing development, will be formally opened on June 5.

Crafted by teams working under Anuradha Timbers International, the doors were made at a custom workshop near the site. The work blends traditional carving with large-scale architectural requirements, drawing on both mythological motifs and regional craft styles.

The doors have designs across different panels. One arched set features flanking figures in greeting posture, delicately carved columns and floral latticework inside a recessed panel. Another shows tall rectangular doors bordered with peacocks, each feather precisely rendered, surrounded by deep floral borders. A third set depicts twin elephants carved at the base of the door, under a decorative canopy framed by highly detailed miniature temple towers. In one image, open doors reveal carved interiors, with elephants and floral medallions adorning each side.

“Matching traditional aesthetics with modern durability was the most complex part. These doors are part artwork, part engineering,” said Chadalavada Sharath Babu, managing partner of Anuradha Timbers.

Each piece had to align with the site's scale and structural demands. “There was no mass production, every door was custom-measured and built. The work required constant collaboration with engineers and stone teams,” added a lead artisan involved in the project.

The doors will be installed in 14 newly added shrines, including those named after figures like Valmiki, Shabari, Vashistha and Annapurna, all placed around the main structure as part of the complex’s phased development plan.

While some installations are now complete, several more are underway. Teams from Hyderabad are expected to continue working at the site in the week. The workers said the project also showed the enduring relevance of regional craft in shaping high-profile public architecture, where centuries-old hand skills still find a place in national landmarks.