Ayodhya's New Wax Museum Brings Ramayana to Life with 50 Statues and 3D Effects

Ayodhya's newly inaugurated Ramayana-themed wax museum offers visitors a walk through key episodes of the epic, featuring nearly 50 lifelike wax statues, themed sets, and 3D visual effects. The two-storey museum, located on the 14-Kosi Parikrama Marg, was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday.

The museum displays statues of characters including Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, Hanuman, Ravana, and Vibhishan. Scenes recreate moments from the Ramayana such as the childhood of Lord Ram, teachings of sages Valmiki and Vashishta, Sita Swayamvar, Ram's exile, Sita in Ashok Vatika, Hanuman setting Lanka ablaze, the Ram-Ravana war, and the Ashwamedha Yagya. A dedicated Bal Ram selfie zone allows visitors to pose with a wax figure of Lord Ram in his child form.

The museum was developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by Kerala-based Sunil's Wax Museum, which invested approximately Rs 7 crore. The company has previously set up wax museums in Lonavala and Thiruvananthapuram. Ayodhya Municipal Commissioner Jayendra Kumar stated that the civic body provided the land, while the private partner handled investment and execution. The entry fee is yet to be decided, and the Municipal Corporation will receive 12 per cent of the revenue generated.

Located about 2.25 kilometres from the Ram Temple, the museum can accommodate nearly 100 visitors at a time. During the inauguration, CM Adityanath suggested enhancing the experience with virtual tours featuring relevant Ramcharitmanas chaupais and digital explanations. Kumar said the proposal would be discussed with developers for the museum's second phase, which may include virtual reality features.

With Ayodhya seeing increased tourist footfall after the consecration of the Ram Temple, officials expect the wax museum to become a major attraction. Progress on the second phase will depend on the success of the first.