Nearly A Week Left For Temple Launch, Politics Over Ram Mandir Continues; Celebrations in US | Updates

With just over a week left for the grand ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony at Ayodhya’s Ram temple, the city transformation and other preparations are taking place in full swing.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is undertaking a 11-day anushthan, which will conclude on January 22 — the consecration ceremony.

Tripura CM Urges People to Join Cleanliness Drives in Temples

Tripura chief minister Manik Saha urged people od his state to join PM Modi’s call to take part in cleanliness drives in temples to mark the Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration ceremony.

Offering prayers at the Jagannath temple, Saha also joined a cleanliness drive on the premises.

Taking to X, the Tripura CM wrote, “Today, I joined the cleanliness drive at Jagannath temple here along with party karyakartas following the prime minister’s appeal… I appeal to the people of the state to join cleanliness drives in all temples that will continue till January 22.”

Congress Leader, Former LS Speaker Meira Kumar Invited to Consecration Ceremony

Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Sunday was formally invited to the attend the consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple, the Vishva Hindu Parishad said.

An invitation to the former deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha, Kariya Munda, has been also extended.

VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal posted on X and said, “RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sampark Pramukh Ramlal has given an invitation to Smt. Meira Kumar, former Speaker of the Lok Sabha and daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram ji.”

Kumar and Munda were given invitation by a delegation representing the Ram Temple Trust, he added.

Shankaracharyas Must Bless Ram Temple, Not Criticise: Union Minister

Union Miister Narayan Rane on Sunday said that the Shankaracharyas should bless the Ayodhya Ram temple instead of criticising some of the aspects.

Rane accused them of viewing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP through a “political prism”.

“No one could do it until now. Modi, BJP took it up and a temple is being built. Should they bless the temple or criticise it? It means Shankaracharyas look at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP through a political prism. This temple is not built on politics but on religion. Ram is our God,” Rane told reporters.

He said that the Shankaracharyas should list “what is their contribution to the Hindu religion”.

14 Lakh Diyas Used to Make Image of Lord Ram, Ayodhya Temple

Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said that an image of Lord Ram in his ‘parakrami roop’ and the temple being built in Ayodhya have been created using 14 lakh colourful diyas.

Choubey told reporters that the artwork was made a bunch of artists from Bihar in the last five to seven days.

The artwork has been displayed at Ayodhya’s Saket College ground. The creators of the art are working under the aegis of Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas.

The artwork also has portraits — also made with diyas — of PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, flanking the words ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

Nepal’s Janakpur Gearing Up For Celebrations

Ahead of the pran pratishtha ceremony on January 22, Nepal’s Janakpur — believed to the birthplace of Lord Ram’s wife, Sita — is prepping to join in on the celebrations with cultural and religious events.

Nepal’s former deputy prime minister Bimalendra Nidhi on Saturday while noting that their “daughter”, Sita was married to Lord Ram, said “We are very elated and proud that the consecration of Ramlala will take place at Ayodhya. People of Janakpur were very happy when the Supreme Court of India had declared its final verdict (in the Ayodhya matter).”

Hindus Organise Car Rally in US’ New Jersey

The pre-celebrations in the United States for the consecration ceremony are also taking place in full swing.

Indians from the Hindu community organised a car rally in New Jersey’s Edison, with the participation of more than 350 cars.

Just a day before, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), American chapter, put up more than 40 giant billboards across ten US states with the message of the pran pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya.

The VHP, American chapter, also organised an Epic Tesla Musical Light Show in Maryland to celebrate the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony.

WATCH:

Celebrating Two Diwalis, Says Prez of Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation

The president of the Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation, Bhojraj Ghoorbin, expressed that their community was extremely elated by the government’s decision to grant 2-hour leave for all the Hindu government officials.

He said that Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth made them the first country to grant such a leave, adding that he hopes other countries would also do the same for the Indians living there.

In the run-up to the January 22 ceremony, Ghoorbin said, “…We have already started the preparation… We are celebrating two-Diwali — first on January 22, and the second Diwali on October 31.”

He said that their federation even had a word with PM Jugnauth over starting direct flights from Mauritius to Ayodhya.

Ghoorbin noted that they are also organising a cultural program on January 21, for which PM Jugnauth will be the chief guest. A live telecast of the pran pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya will be arranged for everyone in Mauritius.

Ayodhya’s Transformative Makeover Underway

Ayodhya is getting a transformative maker with just over a week left for the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.

City Divisional Commissioner Gaurav Dayal, while speaking to news agency ANI, said that “overall beautification and development of Ayodhya was a big challenge for us and a lot if planning and hard toil went into all the work that could be accomplished in such a short time. It is majorly down to relentless and dedicated work that brought about this transformation of Ayodhya into a pristine and beautiful city in just a year and a half.”

Dayal said that all of the corridors have been completed, leaving the city to look “mesmerising”. Ayodhya is all set to receive Lord Ram Lalla, he said.

Dayal told ANI that country’s best and finest engineers were brought in for the town planning work, adding that, suggestions from renowned artists were also sought.

The ‘Surya Stambh’ installed in the redeveloped Ayodhya has also been an eye-catching element. Popular belief terms Lord Ram to be a ‘Suryavanshi’ and so several ‘Surya Stambh’ or solar pillars have been installed on the Dharma Path in Ayodhya.

Consecration Ceremony Be Performed by Prez Murmu, Demands Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday demanded that the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram temple should be performed by President Droupadi Murmu as it is a matter of “national pride and country’s self-respect”.

Thackeray said that he will also invite the President to the Kalaram temple in Nashik, where he will visit on January 22.

Thackeray, along with his party workers, will perform ‘maha aarti‘ on the banks of the Godavari river on the day of the consecration ceremony.

Ayodhya Finally Received Honours That It Deserves, Says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Ayodhya has finally received the honour it deserved and should have been given immediately after independence.

Speaking at the release of BJP leader Balbir Punj’s book “Tryst with Ayodhya”, Singh said that Ayodhya is for Hindus what Mecca is for Muslims and Jerusalem for Christians.

He said that because of PM Modi, even those who used to question Lord Ram “are now singing ‘Ramdhun’ (paeans to Lord Ram).”

“One cannot imagine India without Ram,” Singh said.

Surge in Demand For Lord Ram Flags, Posters in Delhi

Traders in Delhi are working round the clock to meet the surge in the demand for saffron flags and posters bearing images of Lord Ram and the Ayodhya temple.

Rakesh Kumar Yadav, president of the Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association, told PTI that 40,000 workers and printing presses are working overtime to meet the demands of devotees in the national capital.

He noted that the markets will be decorated from January 15 evening, and a procession will also be taken out with the likely participation of around 700 businessmen.

A shopkeeper in Malviya Nagar, Ajay, also noted that people are not just looking flags or posters, they are “also looking for items to decorate their vehicles, such as bikes, cars, and autos”.

“Previously, I used to make flags for political parties and the Tricolour. However, we started printing saffron flags due to the high demand, and now have two to three lakh orders,” Ajay said.

(With PTI, ANI inputs)