By – Shubhendra Singh Rajawat
A photo of the Ram Lalla statue, which was wrapped in a veil, was exposed during the placing ceremony in the sanctum sanctorum before to the consecration on Monday.
On Thursday, the idol of Ram Lalla was placed within the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in preparation for the Ram Janmabhoomi mandir ‘pran-pratishta’ ritual on January 22. The 51-inch Ram Lalla idol, created by a Mysuru local with a family history of five generations of eminent sculptors, was carried to the temple on Wednesday.
The first photo of the Ram Lalla statue, which is draped in a veil, was shown during Thursday’s placing ceremony in the sanctum sanctorum. Sharad Sharma, the publicity in-charge of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, shared the images.
News agency stated that Vedic Brahmins and famous acharyas were observed leading worship services within the temple’s holy boundaries. According to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, members of the Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra took part in the prayers.
Arun Dixit, a priest involved in the consecration process, told news agency PTI that the Ram Lalla deity was placed in the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday afternoon. The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust stated that this occurred as prayers were being chanted.
According to Arun Dixit, the ‘pradhan sankalp’ was done by a trust member, Anil Mishra. “The idea behind the ‘pradhan sankalp’ is that the ‘pratishtha’ of Lord Ram is being done for the welfare of all, for the welfare of the nation, for the welfare of humanity, and also for those who contributed to this work,” Arun Dixit was quoted by PTI as adding.
He said that other ceremonies were also carried out. Vastras were also provided to Brahmins, and everyone was allocated employment, he said.
The ‘pran-pratishtha’ ceremony at the Ram temple will take place on January 22.
On January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ‘pran pratishtha’ event at Ayodhya’s Ram temple. The primary ceremonies will be performed by a team of priests lead by Lakshmikant Dixit. Several celebrities and prominent figures have also been invited to the occasion.
The temple is expected to open to the public on January 23.
Rituals building up to the consecration event have already begun at the temple, which many devotees believe is built on the site of Lord Ram’s birthplace. In 1992, ‘kar sevaks’ razed the Babri Masjid, which stood there.
In 2019, a significant Supreme Court decision on the temple-mosque conflict cleared the path for temple building.