Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat offer prayers before the idol of Ram Lalla during the 'Pran Pratishtha' rituals at the Ram Mandir, in Ayodhya,
Credit: PTI Photo
Ayodhya: The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya concluded on Monday in accordance with Vedic traditions, a powerful cathartic moment that was witnessed by 8,000 guests in the town and millions across the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wore a cream-coloured dhoti and golden kurta with a ‘patka’ and was the main ‘yajamana’ of the event, burnished his credentials further with his core voter base, potentially providing him and his party, the BJP, a huge boost ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The consecration of the Ram temple brings to a close a decades-long chapter that saw intense political and religious discord, and which eventually brought down the Babri Masjid in 1992.
Top personalities from Bollywood and the world of business as well as religious leaders graced the event in the holy town that was on heightened alert. Following the consecration, the Ram temple, which is still under construction, would be thrown open for common devotees from Tuesday.
The consecration rituals began at 12.20 pm, with 121 Vedic scholars chanting Vedic mantras and performance of special pujas in the presence of Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat among others.
The auspicious timing for the ceremony was only 84 seconds; as such, Modi consecrated the Ram Lalla idol in the ‘Abhijit Muhurat’, which according to the Hindu astrology is the most auspicious muhurat.
Before consecrating the idol, Modi took ‘sankalp’ (a solemn vow), an integral part of the ritual. Pandit Sunil Shastri, from whom Modi took the ‘sankalp’, also sprinkled sacred waters brought from different rivers on Modi and others present.
Modi walked from the gates of the temple to the venue of the consecration, and the pontiffs behind the barricades were seen clicking pictures of him on their cellphones. Carrying a silver umbrella kept on a piece of red cloth, Modi climbed the stairs of the temple and performed the consecration rituals.
Later, Modi entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to perform other rituals, which he performed with folded hands. Once that was done, the Ram Lalla idol was unveiled.
As per the tradition, 16 different mantras were chanted by the priest and the idol was consecrated after recital of the 16th mantra. Modi lay prostrate on the floor before Ram Lalla after the consecration while the shehnai kept playing during the ceremony.
The idol of the Ram Lalla was adorned in dazzling golden ornaments and clad in a yellow dress; in its hands were a bow and arrow while a crown rested on the head.
An Indian Air Force chopper showered flower petals over the Ram Janmabhoomi Complex during the consecration rituals several times.
Earlier, before the beginning of the rituals, there was a ‘mangal dhwani’ in the temple during which around 50 different types of musical instruments were played.
Finally, after the completion of the ceremony, Modi reached the stage outside and consumed ‘charnamrit’ (foot nectar - the water in which the feet of the idol is washed) to break his 11-day long fast.