Ayodhya has been an important site for Hindu pilgrims as it is the ‘birthplace’ of Lord Ram. To commemorate the consecration (pran-pratistha) ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is arranging an ‘akshat puja’ today, where 1,000 kg of rice will be offered to the deity.
Akshat Puja Begins At Ram Mandir Begins Today!
Carvings inside Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.
श्री राम जन्मभूमि मंदिर के भीतर नक्काशी का कार्य pic.twitter.com/sFfUbWLBHv
— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) October 28, 2023
Before being placed in brass pots and given to 200 volunteers from the RSS and VHP, this rice will be combined with turmeric and desi ghee. These volunteers will then distribute the rice around the nation prior to the consecration event on January 22, 2024.
It will receive an additional 100 quintals of rice before being given to the people residing in the nation’s more than five lakh villages. The purpose of the puja is to inform the public about the consecration event by holding “akshat” ceremonies in villages and cities using the same “akshat” rice as the Ram Temple.
In addition, about two crore pamphlets have been printed in several states’ regional languages. Further, each home will receive these pamphlets and ‘akshat’ rice. The Trust will organise a campaign in Ayodhya to distribute ‘akshat’ rice to families residing in the temple town. And encourage them to do the same for their neighbours, family, and acquaintances who live in nearby regions.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is extending an invitation to join in local celebrations of the opening of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January of next year to 15 lakh households spread across more than 10,000 villages in the Vidarbha area of Maharashtra.
Also Read: Gold Door For Ram Mandir Sanctum Sanctorum. Final Stage Of The Ground Floor Is Ongoing
This information was provided by the organisation on Friday. At a news conference in Nagpur, VHP leader Govind Shende stated that as part of the ‘Maja Gaon, Maji Ayodhya’ (My Village, My Ayodhya) programme, people will be urged to commemorate the occasion in every temple as part of the ‘A’ or invitation.
Consecration Ceremony Of Lord Ram
The Vedic rites for the enshrinement of Ram Lalla at the Ram temple in Ayodhya would start on January 16. That is one week ahead of the major programme. On January 22, 2024, a Vedic priest from Varanasi would conduct the principal rite of Ram Lalla’s consecration ceremony. The sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple will house the shrine of Ramlala on January 22 between 12 noon and 12.45 pm, as decided by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust after conferring with astrologers and Vedic priests.
On January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the dedication of Ram Lalla. This programme is being attended by several notables, saints, and dignitaries, including RSS chairman Mohan Bhagwat. It was said by Trust General Secretary Champat Rai that visitors would need to spend almost three hours sitting at Ram Janmabhoomi. The shrine is open to devotees as of January 23.
The Ahmedabad-based Sompura family came up with the initial plan for the Ram temple in 1988. In 2020, the Sompuras created a new design that differed slightly from the original. The temple’s three-story main building will be erected on an elevated platform.
Also Read: Durga Puja 2023: Mandir Yahin Ban Gaya! Ram Mandir-Themed Pujo Pandal Is Coming To Kolkata
There would be five mandapas at the entrance and in the centre of the sanctum sanctorum, or garbhagriha.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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