Ayodhya, the Uttar Pradesh town situated on the banks of Saryu, is set to witness the seven-day rituals of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ or consecration ceremony of the Ram temple, that begins on Tuesday. The rituals will culminate on January 22 with the grand ceremony that will be presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by thousands of VVIP guests.
The construction of the Ram temple began after the Supreme Court had settled the decades long dispute on the site in November 2019, paving the way for its construction.
Thirty three years ago, Bharatiya Janata Party’s stalwart Lal Krishna Advani had embarked on a rath yatra from Somnath in Gujarat to build the temple dedicated to Lord Ram, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Among those who accompanied the then BJP president was Narendra Modi, now the prime minister.
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“When Narendra Modi consecrates the (Lord Ram’s idol at the) temple, he will represent every citizen of our India. I pray that this temple inspires all Indians to adopt the qualities of Shri Ram,” Advani said in an article ‘Ram Mandir Nirman, Ek Divya Swapna Ki Purti’, which will be published in a special edition of Rashtradharma, a 76-year-old Hindi literature magazine.
Prime Minister Modi, who was general secretary of the Gujarat BJP, had a crucial role in organising the yatra in 1990. Thirty years later in 2020, he attended the ‘bhoomi pujan’ of the Ram temple. Ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, Modi announced last Friday that he is undertaking a 11-day anushthan (special ritual).
Over the next seven days, elaborate rituals according to Hindu traditions will be undertaken in the build up to the main ceremony.
On January 16, the host appointed by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra will conduct the atonement ceremony. As mentioned earlier, the ‘Dashvidh’ bath will take place on the banks of Saryu river. Prayaschita and Karmakuti Poojan will be held.
On January 17, Parisar Pravesh of the Ram Lalla idol will take place.
On January 18, the rituals of Teerth Poojan, Jal Yatra, and Gandhadhivas will be held.
In the morning of January 19, the rituals of Aushadhadhivas, Kesaradhivas, Ghritadhivas will be held. Later in the evening, the Dhanyadhivas ritual will take place.
On January 20, the Sharkaradhivas and Phaladhivas rituals will take place in the morning. In the evening, the Pushpadhivas will happen.
On January 21, the Madhyadhivas ritual will take place in the morning while the Shaiyadhivas will take place in the evening.
