Performers dressed in traditional attire perform during their rehearsal at a road-side on the eve of opening of the temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya,.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Ayodhya: With all its streets and lanes decorated with flowers, walls with pictures of Lord Rama carrying bow and arrow and the couplets of Ram Charit Manas and the recital of the same through the loudspeakers from the shops, temples and homes, Ayodhya is all set for the historic 'Pran Pratishtha' (consecration) ceremony on Monday in which around eight thousand people, including prime minister Narendra Modi and top personalities from the Bollywood, industry, saints and seers and others will be taking part.
The entire temple town appears to be completely immersed in showcasing their bhakti for Lord Ram with groups of sadhus and devotees from different parts of the country dancing and singing bhajans (religious songs) and the couplets of Ram Charit Manas, the Hindu epic authored by Goswami Tulsidas.
''Mangal bhavan amangal hari, dravahu sudashrath ajir vihari' (Only Shri Ram can ensure that nothing wrong happens to me....we pray for his blessings)," said Harendra Mishra, a resident of the neighbouring Ambedkar Nagar district. He is one of the devotees who has taken to answering questions with devotional couplets.
Welcome arches have been erected in the town at different places, which greet the visitors with slogans of 'Jai Siya-Ram' and 'rangolis' have been made on main streets and thoroughfare for the grand occasion.
According to the Hindu mythology, the residents of Ayodhya had lit earthen lamps when Lord Rama had returned to the town after the exile and that day is now celebrated as Diwali. It seems that Ayodhya residents want Jan 22 to be their town's new Diwali as they hang colourful lights on temples, mutts and houses in addition to diyas, of course.
''It is as if Shri Ram is returning to Ayodhya with Mata Sita and brother Luxman after his 14-year exile....the residents of the town must have welcomed them in the same way....we have only read about it in the Ramayana but now we can feel it,'' says Suraj Das, a sadhu as he chanted 'Jai Shriram'.
''Kanchan kalas vichitra samvare, sabahin dhare saji nij nij dware, bandanwar pataka ketu, sabanhi banaye mangal hetu (the people decorated golden pitchers and kept them on the doors of their homes and put on coloured flags and decorative drawings on their walls)," Das said reciting a couplet from the Ram Charit Manas, describing the welcome of Lord Rama when he returned to Ayodhya after killing Ravana, the demon king.
Final touches were being given to the Ram Janmabhoomi Complex where the consecration ceremony would be held on Monday. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath would be reaching Ayodhya to review the preparations.
Consecration ceremony will reflect many facets of Hinduism
The pre-consecration rituals would also end on Sunday evening, the priests associated with the rituals said. The 'simhasana' (throne) of Ram Lala was washed with 114 'kalash' (pitcher) which contained waters brought from various sacred rivers across the country, including Ganga and Saryu rivers.
The priests said that rituals including daily puja, havana (ritual by fire), parikrama (taking round of the idol) and bathing of the idol with waters soaked in medicinal plants were conducted on Sunday.
One of the seers associated with the consecration ceremony arrangements said that prime minister Narendra Modi, who was the chief 'yajamana' (the person on whose behalf the priests perform the rituals) at the ceremony, would enter the Temple complex from the eastern gate.
He would be meeting the members of the Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Teerth Khestra Trust, which was overseeing the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
He said that the prime minister would also give ten types of 'daan' (donation) and after that he would be entering the sanctum-sanctorum of the Temple to take part in the 'Pran Pratishtha' Puja, which would begin at 1220 hours and end at 0100 hours.
The rituals during the consecration ceremony would showcase the different sects of the Hinduism, the priests said. The sects including Shaiva, Vaishnava, Ganpatya, Sikh, Baudha, Jain, Ramanandi, Ramanuja, Nimbarka, Garibadasi, Kabirpanthi, Shankardev and others will bear witness to the ceremony.