Ayodhya: The consecration of Raja Ram and other deities in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi complex will be led by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, temple officials said on Wednesday.
This would be the second consecration event at the temple in over a year, with the first one taking place last January.
“On this special occasion, the chief minister will seek the blessings of Lord Shri Ram, further strengthening his profound spiritual connection with Ayodhya,” an official statement read.
Ayodhya, a city marked for its temples, will also celebrate the ‘Trayodashi’ birth anniversary of the Saryu River.
According to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the pran pratishtha rituals are scheduled to commence at 11 am on Thursday.
The event will coincide with the 53rd birthday of priest-politician Adityanath.
Over the past eight years, Ayodhya has seen development projects exceeding Rs 32,000 crore falling in its lot, with a considerable chunk of it spent on road, rail, and air connectivity.
The district administration has already put the city under a comprehensive security cover in anticipation of a large crowd.
Anjani Seva Sansthan president Shashikant Maharaj said, “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Maharaj has lifted Lord Ram from a symbolic cradle and enshrined him in a grand temple. On June 5, Raja Ram will be ceremonially reinstalled, just as Guru Vashishtha performed His coronation in Treta Yuga, Yogi Maharaj will now perform His tilak. He has tirelessly worked to restore Ayodhya’s glory and place it on the global map.”
On the change in the city over the past decade, he said, “Eight years ago, people were afraid to walk from Naya Ghat to Guptar Ghat after dark. Today, places like Aarti Ghat have become centres of devotion and celebration.”
Mahant Mithilesh Nandini Sharan said, “It is heartening that a monk (Adityanath) has not only understood the spiritual pulse of the state but has also energised it. Today, the people of Ayodhya no longer need to leave in search of livelihoods.”
Chamber of Commerce president Pankaj Gupta said the city of Ayodhya has entered a phase of “perennial bliss” under the “double-engine” government led by the BJP.
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