The temple town of Ayodhya was decked with flowers, serenaded with bhajans, and covered with a multi-layered security blanket on the eve of the pran pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, to be held at the Ram Mandir on January 22.
In the culmination of a decades-long religious and political movement to restore the worship of Lord Ram in a new temple at what is considered his birthplace, the rituals to consecrate the idol are expected to begin at 12:20 p.m. in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and almost 8,000 invited guests, and will be watched by lakhs of devotees via live telecast across the country and the world. The shrine will be opened to the public a day later.
Security blanket
More than 13,000 security personnel have been deployed in Ayodhya. Officers from the National Security Guards (NSG) and Special Protection Group (SPG), commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), the U.P. Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) are camping in the district, along with personnel from the Intelligence Bureau.
Security checks for vehicles and individuals have been implemented across the temple town, with no uninvited individual allowed around the vicinity of the Ram Mandir, while aerial and artificial intelligence surveillance have also been deployed to ensure the safety of the guests and the success of the mega event. Arrangements have also been made to deal with any health emergency, especially in view of the biting cold.
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Ritual bath
The new 51-inch Ram Lalla idol, which was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple last Thursday, was bathed on Sunday with 114 pitchers filled with aushadhiyukt (medicated) and sacred water brought from various pilgrimage sites. The preparatory rituals in the run-up to the ceremony were conducted by 121 priests, with the eminent priest Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid coordinating and overseeing the proceedings of the Anushthan (rituals), while Lakshmikant Dixit of Kashi is the main priest.
Starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, the Mangal Dhvani (auspicious sound) will play at the temple until the ceremony is ready to begin, with artistes playing 25 traditional and rare musical instruments from different States. “In Indian culture, Mangal Dhvani is composed to bring joy and to mark auspiciousness of an occasion and produced before the deity. The consecration ceremony is a proud moment for every Indian, and to mark this grand occasion, traditional musical instruments from various regions and States of India will be played to produce Mangal Dhvani in front of Shri Ram Lalla,” said Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
August guest list
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, U.P. Governor Anandiben Patel, and U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the ceremony, along with a guest list of prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, diplomats, judges, priests, and activists prominent in the Ram temple movement. Almost all Opposition political leaders invited to the ceremony have declined to attend, with the Congress calling it a “BJP-RSS event”.
Industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar are among the celebrity guests who have been invited, while actors Kangana Ranaut and Pawan Kalyan, and cricketer Anil Kumble were among those who arrived in Ayodhya early on Sunday.
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A celebration for all the senses
As part of the preparations, the Trust readied mahaprasad to be distributed to the guests after the pran pratistha, along with meals prepared with desi ghee to be served on the temple premises. The banks of the Saryu River, where thousands flock every evening for the aarti, have been decked up; recordings of Ram dhun played from loudspeakers; and townsfolk dressed as Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman paraded the streets. Floral patterns and decorative lights have been used to spell out ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on ceremonial gates across the city.
U.P. deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya welcomed the guests on the eve of the ceremony and described the event as an important milestone for the country. “Under the exceptional leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, BJP fought vigorously in the case of Prabhu Shri Ram and achieved a positive result through the judicial process. The BJP fulfilled the promise it made to the public. This is a very important moment for the nation which will surely pave the way for the prosperity and unity of the new India,” Mr. Maurya said.
(with PTI inputs)
