Ayodhya, Nov 9 (IANS): For 21 years, he chiseled away at red sandstones, carving patterns on slabs for the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Then four months before the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on Saturday in favour of the Ram temple, he left for another world.

Rajnikant Sompura, 53, had come to Ayodhya to join his father-in-law Annubhai Sompura and worked at the workshop at Karsevakpuram for 21 years.

Annubhai had been the workshop supervisor since 1990, when temple work had first begun.

Rajnikant died in July and laborers who were assisting him, also left for Gujarat.

Mahesh, a local resident who also works at Karsevakpuram said: "Rajnikant was a skilled workers and his engravings were impeccable. Now when work resumes in full speed, we will all miss Sompura. His contribution to the Ram temple that will be built is huge and we must remember that."

He said that when stone carving began in 1990, there were about 125 engravers. The number came down to about 50 in recent years .

Senior VHP leader Puroshottam Narain Singh said that the ‘shilapujan' (foundation laying ritual) for the temple was performed by VHP in 1984. The devotees gave Rs 1.25 each and a sum of Rs 8 crore was received for the construction of a temple.