Ayodhya is gearing up for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple scheduled for January 22, with an illustrious guest list including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricketers, celebrities, and industrialists. The Temple Trust has outlined a 7-day schedule of rituals from January 16 to January 22, leading up to the significant event.
Key events and rituals include:
- January 16: Dashvidh bath ritual on the banks of the river Saryu, involving worship of Lord Vishnu and Godan.
- January 17: Procession with the idol of Ram Lala visiting Ayodhya, accompanied by devotees carrying Saryu water in Mangal Kalash.
- January 18: Commencement of formal rituals, including Ganesh Ambika Puja, Varun Puja, Matrika Puja, Brahmin Varan, and Vastu Puja.
- January 19: Agni Sthapana, Navagraha Sthapana, and a havan.
- January 20: Cleaning of the temple sanctum with holy Saryu water, along with Vaastu Shanti and Annadhivas rituals.
- January 21: Washing the deity with 125 urns and performing the Shayadhivas ritual.
- January 22: Consecration of the Rama Lalla deity in the afternoon during Mrigashira Nakshatra.
Champat Rai, the temple trust secretary, shared that all preparations for the ‘pran pratishtha’ were completed, and the ceremony is expected to conclude by 1 pm on January 22. The Ram Lalla idol, sculpted by Arun Yogiraj from Mysore, will be placed in the sanctum sanctorum, weighing between 150 kg to 200 kg. The idol will be moved into the new temple campus on January 18 in a standing posture.
Rai mentioned that darshan would be closed to the public on January 20 and 21, and arrangements for around 8000 VIPs are being made for the inauguration ceremony on January 22. The ceremony holds great significance, marking the culmination of a long-awaited project and the beginning of a new chapter in Ayodhya’s history.
