Manish Tripathi and Team's Barefoot Endeavor in Fashioning Ram Lalla's Vastra

On February 17, 2021, marking the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami, designer Manish Tripathi, based in Delhi, presented a khadi vastra to Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, for Swayambhu (Ram Lalla Virajmaan). Little did he anticipate that three years later, he would play a pivotal role in the historic consecration of the Ram Mandir. Hailing from Lucknow, Tripathi was chosen to design the vastra for the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.

Table of Contents

Manish Tripathi

Collaborating with a team of 15 artisans, Manish dedicated 40 days, often working barefoot, to craft the “priceless” and “magnificent” wardrobe for the idol’s initial seven days. Describing the vastra, he explained, “We utilized pitambari fabric with zari work—silk woven with silver and gold threads from Kashi (Varanasi). Considering Ram Lalla’s youthful age, we ensured the fabric was soft and delicate yet regal, given his status as Chakravarti Raja Dashrath’s son.”

*Subscribe to get the latest news on your mobile daily! Experience an engaging email newsletter Subscribe now!

Thank you for the Part of Newsyatra Family!

There has been some error while submitting the form. Please verify all form fields again.

Expressing his gratitude, Manish said, “Like every Indian, I aspired to be part of this grand celebration, and I believe my good deeds led me to this rare opportunity. We worked tirelessly to create this grand wardrobe without any cuts, exclusively for Ram Lalla.”

Taking inspiration from history books and scriptures, Manish aimed for a ‘classic,’ ‘royal,’ and ‘bright’ look. He incorporated embroidery motifs of auspicious Vaishnav symbols, such as padam, chakra, shank, and gada, in gold and silver wires along the outfit’s border. The ensemble included dhoti, patuka, angavastaram, angapatuka, and a handwoven Pashmina shawl for the winter days.

The designer’s biggest challenge was creating clothes for God, but his belief in God served as his guiding force. Reflecting on the conceptualization process, he shared, “I was in soulful communication with Him, and there were nights when I received signs in dreams, guiding me to attain the perfect look for Ram Lalla, for whom I’ve been designing vastra since 2021.” The Ram Lalla Virajmaan, now in the temple, also wear vastra crafted by Manish.

He designed a seven-day wardrobe for the four brothers and the main idol, each dress corresponding to specific days. Colors were chosen accordingly—Tuesday in red, Wednesday in green, Thursday in yellow, Friday in green, Saturday in blue, and Sunday in pink. Manish, a consultant with the Apparel Sector Skill Council, Government of India, and former collaborator with the India handloom brand, continues to be an integral part of this sacred endeavor.

Manish Tripathi, Manish Tripathi, Manish Tripathi, Manish Tripathi

ALSO READ | What Will Happen To Idols Not Chosen For Ram Mandir ‘Pran Pratishtha’