Puja at Ayodhya's Ram temple construction site.
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Ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in January, rituals began on Sunday with 'akshat puja'.
The 'akshat puja' is being performed at the temple with about 100 quintals of whole rice mixed with turmeric and desi ghee, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said.
This 'pujit akshat' (worshipped rice) will be distributed among 90 members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) who have gathered here from 45 organisational provinces of the country. These VHP members will then distribute the rice across the nation before January 22, the date for the consecration ceremony, the trust added.
The 'akshat' was stored in brass 'kalash' (urn) that were kept before Lord Ram during the puja.
The trust's secretary Champat Rai said that 90 representatives of the VHP of all the 45 provinces gathered in Ayodhya on Sunday. These representatives have been given five kilograms of akshat. The representatives of the provinces will distribute it amongst the representatives of the districts, blocks, tehsils and villages, said Rai.
Rai said that 'pujit akshat' will be distributed in five lakh villages of the country from January 1 to January 15, 2024. The trust has also published pamphlets containing information about the Ram temple. These pamphlets will be distributed with the akshat.
Rai further said that they will appeal every Ram devotee to light five lamps of mustard oil in the evening on the day of consecration.