A seven-day ceremony to install the idol of Ram Lalla in the sanctum -sanctorum of Ayodhya’s Ram temple is likely to coincide with the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti and begin on January 14 or 15, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said on Tuesday.
The trust is overseeing the construction of the temple which began in 2020. Members of the trust said the installation of the idol was unlikely to take place in December.
“In December, there are no auspicious days for idol installation. Per the Hindu calendar, rituals can only occur from Makar Sankranti when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the Northern hemisphere. Makar Sankranti, which will either be on January 14 or 15, is the most auspicious day for installation of the Ram Lalla idol and the ceremony might begin then,” a member of the trust set on condition of anonymity and added that the celebrations ahead of the temple’s grand opening might begin from the Deepotsav (a line on what it please) is in November.
In January, the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai said that the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla’s idol might take place on Makar Sankranti in 2024.
{{/usCountry}}In January, the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai said that the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla’s idol might take place on Makar Sankranti in 2024.
{{/usCountry}}Last week, the trust said that it sent an invitation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opening ceremony, suggesting three auspicious dates for the event. The three auspicious dates shortlisted after consulting astrologers are likely between January 17 and 24, said people aware of the matter. The trust did not disclose the specific dates to the media.
The temple’s foundation was laid in an elaborate ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020. The construction started thereafter and is being monitored by senior functionaries. It was recently reviewed by a team led by Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, and comprising members from the engineering teams of Larsen & Toubro, Tata Consulting Engineers, and the trust.
The construction of the first floor of the three-storey Ram Temple in Ayodhya is likely to begin by the end of the month. As per the details provided by the construction committee, the temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet in width and 161 feet high from the courtyard.