Ram temple trust to invite NRIs to Ayodhya after Jan 26
Dates will be fixed for a country’s visit but the Trust will not decide the dates, Trust officials said
The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust has decided to invite non-resident Indians (NRIs) to Ayodhya after January 26, next year, to pay obeisance to Ram Lalla at the newly constructed Ram temple.
The grand opening of the Ram temple is proposed between January 21 and January 24 next where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest.
“A large number of NRIs are in touch with the Trust and they want to come to Ayodhya to pay obeisance to Lord Ram. We have decided to invite them after January 26 (2024),” Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai told mediapersons on Wednesday.
“Specific dates will be fixed for NRIs of one country for their Ayodhya visit. However, the Trust will not decide the dates. We have left it to the NRIs to fix dates for their visit,” added Rai.
“NRIs from the US will visit on a specific date and from the UK on another date,” said Rai while explaining the issue.
VHP volunteers to reach on Nov 5
Around 150-200 volunteers of the VHP from all across the country will reach Ayodhya on November 5 to collect sacred grain rice (akshata), offered to the deity at the Ram Janmabhoomi, for distribution in five lakh villages across the state.
The Trust has divided the country into 45 units (prants) and at least two volunteers from each unit will reach Ayodhya on November 5, informed Rai.
“The Trust will hand over a five kg bag of sacred grain to each unit. In their respective states, volunteers will mix their sacred grain rice with larger quantities according to their requirement. After Vedic rituals, it will be distributed from January 1 and the campaign will end on January 15,” said Rai.
The trust overseeing the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya has decided to distribute the rice, offered to the deity at Ram Janmabhoomi, to 500,000 villages across the country ahead of the consecration ceremony of the deity scheduled in January next year.