‘All Ram Bhakts With Me’: PM Modi Begins 11-Day 'Anushthan' from Panchvati Ahead of Jan 22 Event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be observing all rituals and ‘niyams’ during an 11-day ‘Anushthan’ (ritual) ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, which he starts from Friday from Panchvati, where Lord Ram spent a long time during his exile.

In the scriptures, the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of a deity’s idol is a detailed and comprehensive process. For this, detailed rules have been given which have to be followed several days before the ceremony.

As a devotee of Lord Ram, the prime minister is dedicated to the construction and ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram Temple in the spirit of spiritual practice, sources said.

The prime minister has decided that despite his busy schedule and responsibilities, he will follow all the rules and rituals on and before January 22 with the same strictness as instructed in the scriptures.

For this, he has started the ritual of following an ‘Anushthan’ for 11 days.

‘Dev Pratishtha’ has been described as the ritual of infusing divine consciousness into an earthly idol. For this, rules for fasting before the ritual have been prescribed in the scriptures.

The prime minister follows rules like Brahmamuhurta Jagran, Sadhana and Satvik diet in his daily routine. But now, he has decided to observe this as a ritual for all 11 days ahead of the ceremony in Ayodhya.

The prime minister, in an audio message, said he will represent all Indians in Ayodhya and was fortunate to be a part of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ which was the result of a 500-year-long patient struggle.

“All 140 crore Indians will be with me in the Garbha Griha. All Ram Bhakts will be with me,” PM Modi said.

“I am emotional. First time in my life, I am experiencing such feelings,” he said in the audio message to the nation posted on X.

He said God has chosen him as an instrument to represent all Indians during the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ exercise and that he is undertaking the special religious exercise keeping this in mind. “I seek blessing from people,” he said on X.

PM Modi is visiting Shree Kala Ram Mandir situated along the banks of Godavari in Nashik’s Panchvati.

Among the places associated with Ramayana, Panchvati occupies a special place as a number of important events related to the epic took place here. Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman spent a few years in the Dandakaranya forest which is situated in the Panchvati region. The name Panchvati means the land of five banyan trees. The legend is that Lord Ram set up his hut here as the presence of the banyan trees made the region auspicious.

The prime minister will preside over the consecration ceremony of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Preparations are in the last stages for the event as several VVIP guests from India and abroad have received invitations for the ceremony.