Ram temple to be open for devotees from January 23
Entry of cadres of VHP, RSS and other members of like-minded organisations will start from January 26, says Champat Rai
The Ram temple would be open for devotees from January 23, a day after the inauguration. The entry of all the devotees would be streamlined and regulated to guard against overcrowding, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai said on Monday.
The entry to the temple could also be allowed till night to accommodate maximum devotees, Rai said. While the temple would be open for devotees from January 23, the entry of cadres of Vishva Hindu Parishad, RSS and other members of the ‘vichar pariwar (like-minded organisations)’ would start from January 26.
“All the cadres would be allotted specific time and batches and would adhere to the schedule decided for them. We expect the numbers to be anywhere between 4500 and 5000 per day and all of them would be requested to leave after a day,” Rai said. This plan would be in place till February 23 or 24, Rai said.
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“Those who will be invited will be put up at Karsevakpuram, the naturopathy centre at Maniramdas Chavni Kendra and adjacent to Mani Parivat, the place we have named Teerth Kshetra Puram. Arrangements would also be made in ashrams, dharamshalas, home stays and hotels too,” Rai said. “We are trying to ensure best of facilities for guests,” he said.
GLOBAL PRESENCE
“There is a group from US, another one from Hong Kong. In all 50 nations would be represented at the inauguration. We have decided on one nation, one organisation representative. So, in all 53 representatives from 50 nations, including those from South Africa and Gulf countries, are expected at the event,” Rai said.
“The emphasis would be on ensuring that those who have arrived for darshan are able to leave that day itself. The effort is on ensuring people are not put to any inconvenience in this cold. So as per requirement we would ensure darshan timings are extended till night as well,” Rai said.
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MEDIA COULD BE ALLOWED ENTRY ON JANUARY 22
“We are mulling allowing entry inside the temple to the media too on January 22 afterwards. But as of now, this is not certain, we are thinking on this. This move would go through, subject to an assessment about the impact of this move,” he said. “All must factor in the problems that accompany the construction (of such magnitude),” he said.
NO PARALLEL TO STONE STRUCTURE LIKE THIS?
“The kind of massive stone structure that has been constructed ... I am no great authority on this but all the same I would like to know if such a massive structure, bigger than this, has been made anywhere before. I would like you to make a comparison and let me know if a stone construction of this magnitude has happened before in 100 or 200 years,” Rai said.
BIGGEST POST INDEPENDENCE EVENT
“Probably January 22 event is one that might not have ever happened in independent India,” Rai said. “Imagine the best of all fields being invited and all of them present on the same day. This might not have ever happened before and whether it will happen in future, that I can’t predict,” Rai said.
CONTROVERSIES
The VHP veteran dismissed the controversies swirling the mega religious event or the questions being raised on it, like having the consecration event on an under-construction temple.
“Uthane do, mujhe kuchh nahin kehna. Kisi alochna, apatti ka uttar nahin dena, main pranam karta hoon (let the questions or controversies be raised, I have nothing to say on it. I don’t want to answer any criticism or objection. I greet all),” Rai said.
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SHANKARACHARYAS
“One of our trustees is a Shankaracharya - Vasudevanand ji Maharaj - whose three generations have been associated with our agitation (on Ram temple). Vasudevanand ji Maharaj’s guru Vishnudevanandji Maharaj, his guru Shantanandji Maharaj have from the first day of the agitation (on Ram temple) been with us,” Rai said. The Congress had made the point about four Shankaracharyas, not associating themselves with the Ram temple inauguration and Rai’s point was made perhaps to address the issue.