Malini Awasthi at Ram Mandir Ayodhya: I fasted till the sthapana and aarti
Having been part of the celebrations in Ayodhya for a week, Padma Shri Malini Awasthi about her plans for the ceremony today.
Veteran folk singer Malini Awasthi is excited about attending the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya today. “I’m a Ram bhakt. I’ll be fasting till the aarti. I’ll be wearing a yellow saree that I’ve got designed for the occasion. Its aanchal has the Ram Mandir on it. I’ll also be performing at the Tulsi Manch today at 5pm,” the singer tells us. She adds, “I’ll be performing at the Ram Temple on January 26. I’ll be the first singer to sing for Ram Lalla inside the temple.”
Talking about the current vibe of Ayodhya, the Padma Shri recipient says, “It’s so beautiful and decorated, with music and keertans all around. The feeling is inexplicable. One has to be here to understand and experience that magic. The vibe of Ayodhya right now is so welcoming and vibrant that it feels like we’re back to the treta yug. I’ve lived in Ayodhya and been here a lot of times, but it’s wasn’t as lively as it’s now. The transformed Ayodhya looks like a dream.”
The singer has been part of the Ram Mandir celebrations for a week now. “I was lucky to perform in Ayodhya on Makar Sankranti, the day when the celebration started. On January 15, I opened a concert for Doordarshan and sang Ram bhajans. I also played Shabri in the Ram Leela two days ago. So I feel blessed to have been a part of so many celebrations as a precursor to the big day today,” says Awasthi, as she goes on to talk about the importance of Ram in folk music. “As a folk singer, there’s a history of celebrating a child’s birthday by singing Ram bhajans. Most songs of kajri and chaiti have an emphasis on Ram. So, what could have been a greater honour than singing bhajans for Ram Lalla himself,” she ends.