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Pran Pratishtha: VHP plans to convert 5 lakh temples as centres of mass mobilisation
The RSS, the VHP and its affiliate organisations have planned to reach out to five lakh temples across the country at least 10 days before the consecration of Ram Lalla
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs the last ritual in the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) will focus on how to convert five lakh temples across the country as centres of mass mobilisation.
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), VHP and its affiliate organisations have planned to reach out to five lakh temples across the country at least 10 days before the consecration of Ram Lalla. Along with ‘Akshat’ (sacred rice) distribution across the country, the VHP volunteers are issuing an appeal to people to gather at local temples on January 22 and organise Vedic rituals and Nama-Sankirtan (congregational chanting of holy names) among other events.
“We are also distributing pamphlets along with ‘Akshat’ asking people to assemble at local temples. The pamphlet carries all details regarding what should be done on January 22,” said Anil Mishra, member of Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust. National broadcaster Doordarshan will telecast the Pran Pratishtha ceremony live.
“We are also asking people to put up TV sets or LED screens in local temples to watch the ceremony live collectively,” added Mishra. “There are around 2.5 lakh (250,000) gram panchayats and almost all of them have a temple each. Another 2.5 lakh (250,000) temples in localities in all districts across the country will hold these events to make the entire country ‘Ram Maye’ (full of devotion for Ram),” said Mishra.
The Sikh community will also organise a path of Guru Granth Sahib in gurudwaras and the Jain community would organise events in their temples according to their culture, said the Trust.
“The temple connect plan of the VHP is on lines of the Ram Mandir movement of the 90s when local temples had become centres of mass mobilisation,” said a professor of Dr Rammanohar Lohia Avadh University, Ayodhya, not wishing to be named.
According to the Trust, everyone can’t come to Ayodhya for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. But they can associate themselves with the grand opening ceremony of Ram Mandir by organising Sankirtan and other Vedic rituals in local temples.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his last visit to Ayodhya on December 30 had issued an appeal to people to not come to Ayodhya on January 22 as it would be difficult to manage such a huge crowd and ensure security. He asked people to come to Ayodhya after January 23. Modi was in Ayodhya to inaugurate Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham and Ayodhya Dham railway station.
The Yogi government has already allocated ₹100 crore for Ram Utsav—a series of religious events in temples in 826 local bodies across the state and Ram Paduka Yatra. The yatra will traverse through Ram Van Gaman Path taken by Lord Ram while proceeding for 14-year exile from Ayodhya and will cover the entire country.
Religious events in temples will start from the festive occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14/15 and will continue till the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22. Continuous recitals of Ramcharitmanas, Ramayana and Hanuman Chalisa will take place in temples associated with the ‘Ramayana tradition’ and dedicated to Lord Hanuman.
“The plan is to connect each district and every prominent temple in the state with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla and make the entire state ‘Ram Maye’,” said a state government official. The state tourism and culture department is organising the event with the help of the ‘Paryatan and Sanskritik Parishad’ in each district.
The government has also planned a series of events in government-run primary and secondary schools across the state. In these events, various competitions based on Lord Ram will be organised. They include art competition, essay writing, fancy dress competition and religious songs based on Ramayana. In addition, workshops on how to carve out idols of Lord Ram will also be organised.
