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Spl puja, Ram Lila: Indians abroad start celebrating consecration
Ram Japs, Akhand Ramayan, special pujas, Ram Lila programmes, Ram Murti processions, meetings and rallies are being organised at homes or in Hindu temples abroad ahead of the January 22 consecration in the new Ram temple in Ayodhya.
New York/Dallas: It’s celebration time not only in India, but also for the Indian diaspora in major cities across the USA, UK and other countries having a sizeable Indian population .
Ram Japs, Akhand Ramayan, special pujas, Ram Lila programmes, Ram Murti processions, meetings and rallies are being organised at homes or in Hindu temples abroad ahead of the January 22 consecration in the new Ram temple in Ayodhya.
“Various programmes, including Ram Jap, Akhand Ramayan and Ram Lila etc are being organised by the people in their houses and also by temples and other organisations. Ram Lila, which is organised around Diwali in Dallas, is being organised ahead of the consecration ceremony,” said Radhika Goel who works as director, engineering with a private company at Dallas, Texas.
“Ram is an icon for Hindus . The people are very excited to be witnesses to the consecration ceremony. I have been in Texas for the past 20 years and watched Ram Lila being organised as part of the Diwali Mela every year, I have directed the Ram Lila this time,” she said on phone.
Bala Dharanidharan, who holds Ayyappa puja at his residence in Frisco (Dallas) ,Texas every year said he would take part in the celebrations for consecration ceremony at Venkateshwara Swami temple in Frisco while one of his friends and brother would do so at Los Angeles and Frisco respectively.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the final leg of the consecration ceremony to begin at about 12.20 PM and end by 1PM at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
Those aware of the development said the Dallas Fort Worth Hindu Temple Society had worked out various programmes, besides the Ram Lila at the Ekta Mandir from 2.30 PM (CST) ahead of the consecration ceremony . These include Ram Raksha Stotra and Utsav, Shri Raghunandan Havan, Ram Parivar Murti Procession with dhol tasha, Ram Rajya Abhishek, pujan and Ram Lala aarti. There will also be distribution of “Maha Prasadam” at the end of the programmes at various temples.
The Ram temple is also the talking point in small and large gatherings alike and the mood is upbeat with religious fervour. As the time of consecration at about mid noon in India would be night in the USA, the people plan to assemble at various places, including temples, where large screens are being set up to enable them to watch the consecration ceremony live.
“All the temples are holding some or the other programme. Besides Dallas, such programmes are also being organised in New York, Los Angeles and some other major cities,” said Goel. There are reports about the arrangements being made for live telecast of consecration ceremony at the Time Square, New York. BAPS Shri Swami Narayan Mandir (Seattle, WA, USA) on its website has listed Ram Vandana among the upcoming events with a call to the Hindu community for the historic celebration to mark the Inauguration of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Hindus of Greater Houston has opened registration for participation and listed various programmes that include a “Pushp Vahan” parade and Bhagwan Shri Ram exhibition. A video on 500 years of struggle will also be played there.
Meanwhile, a press release issued in Lucknow said some Hindu organisations had decided to celebrate Diwali in UK on January 22. It claimed that about 217 Hindu organisations in a joint statement called the consecration ceremony a historic event and preparations were afoot there to celebrate Diwali on the occasion.
