India is preparing for the highly consternation ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The auspicious Praan Pratishtha sacraments at Ayodhya Ram Mandir have begun from January 16 and will continue till January 22.There will be more than 8,000 guests on the day of consecration, so plans are well underway for this historic occasion.
In January 16 the atonement ceremony was held featuring ‘Dashvidh’ bath, vishnu worship, and offerings to cows along the sacred Sarayu River. While on 17, a procession of idol Lord Ram in his child-like form (Ram Lalla) is carried by the devotees to Ayodhya. On 18, the idol will be placed in its proper location in the temple’s “Garbh Griha”. Formal ceremonies will begin with the worship of Ganesh Ambika, Varun, Hatrika, Brahmin varan and vastu on the very day. On the next day, lighting of the holy fire followed by the establishment of ‘Navagraha’ and a ‘Havan’ will be organized. On 20 January the cleaning of the Temple’s sanctum sanctorum with Sarayu’s holy water, vastu peace and Annadhivas rituals will take place. January 21, the Ram Lalla idol will be laid to rest in Shayadhivas after a celestial bath involving 125 urns.
The long awaited ceremony of consecration of the Ram Temple is scheduled on January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is invited to grace the occasion by attending it.
As the atmosphere brims with spiritual fervor, devotees are expected to surge in numbers starting on January 23.