The ‘parisar pravesh’ (temple entry) of the idol of infant god Ram, or Ram Lalla, took place in Ayodhya on Wednesday, the second day of the weeklong rituals in the run up to the January 22 consecration ceremony that will be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 51-inch idol was brought on an open truck from Vivek Srishti Trust, an International Yoga and Meditation Institute, where it was carved by renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj of Karnataka, to the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple amid chants of “Jai Shri Ram” by devotees.
The idol was covered throughout the 10-km journey.
Before reaching the temple site, the vehicle also stopped at the historic Hanuman Garhi temple (Lord Hanuman is considered the protector of Ayodhya). Seven women performed ‘kalash pujan’ on the bank of the Saryu, collecting water from the river in copper pitchers and taking them to the Ram Mandir.
Anil Mishra, member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and the jajman (host) of the seven-day long rituals, joined the women in the ritual. This water will be used to bathe the deity.
A second silver idol of Ram Lalla was taken around the temple campus for ‘parisar bhraman’.This small idol, placed in a flower palanquin, was created as a substitute for the new idol to perform Vedic rituals and was carried by temple priests.
{{/usCountry}}A second silver idol of Ram Lalla was taken around the temple campus for ‘parisar bhraman’.This small idol, placed in a flower palanquin, was created as a substitute for the new idol to perform Vedic rituals and was carried by temple priests.
{{/usCountry}}“As the new idol weighs 150kg, it will not be feasible to relocate/shift it several times during the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony. So, as a substitute, a small silver idol has been prepared. If required during the ceremony, this silver idol will be shifted to perform vedic rituals,” said office bearers of the Trust.
This smaller idol will also be seated in the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple. According to the Trust, the Vedic rituals of worshipping 16 pillars and four gates of the Yagya Mandap of the temple were performed.
Meanwhile, Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra has said that the construction of the sanctum sanctorum is complete. “The temple of Ram Lalla will have ‘garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum)’, five mandaps and that temple will be on the ground floor. That temple is complete,” he told ANI.