In anticipation of the upcoming ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at the Ram Mandir on January 22, the idol of Lord Ram was ceremoniously placed in the temple’s ‘Garbha Griha’ on Thursday. Preceding this event, a symbolic ‘Parisar Pravesh’ (entry into the complex) of a replica of the main idol occurred on Wednesday, accompanied by Vedic chants.
Wednesday witnessed a ‘Kalash Pujan’ as part of the elaborate rituals leading to the consecration ceremony. A special puja took place in the sanctum sanctorum, and on Thursday, the idol was transported into the temple with the aid of a crane amid joyous chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram.’
The idol, transported in a truck, is expected to be officially installed in the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday, according to the Chairperson of the Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee, Nripendra Mishra.
The meticulous seven-day rituals, crucial for the consecration ceremony, will continue until January 21. The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, set to begin at 12:20 p.m. on January 22, will involve a set of essential rituals overseen by 121 ‘acharyas.’ The ceremony is anticipated to conclude by 1 p.m.
However, objections raised by Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotishpeeth in Uttarakhand have been countered by several influential figures. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati expressed concerns about the ceremony, citing the incomplete state of the temple construction and alleging political motives by the BJP.
In response, Nripendra Mishra, the chairperson of the Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee, refuted these claims, asserting that the temple is indeed complete. He clarified that the ground floor, housing the ‘Garbha Griha’ and five mandaps dedicated to Lord Ram, is fully constructed. The ongoing construction pertains to the first floor (Ram Darbar) and the second floor, designated for various rituals and ceremonies.
Alok Kumar, the VHP international working president, defended the ongoing construction, drawing a parallel with the construction of the Somnath temple under Congress leadership. He emphasized that, similar to the completion of the ‘Garbha Griha’ and five mandaps, historical precedence exists for consecration following the completion of essential temple structures.
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