(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
Both are elders and considering their age, they were requested not to come, which was accepted by both: Ram Temple Trust general secretary.
LK Advani and MM Joshi will not be attending the Ram Temple consecration ceremony. (Creative Commons)
BJP veterans LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who were at the forefront of the agitation for the Ram temple in Ayodhya, are unlikely to attend next month’s consecration ceremony due to their health and age, the temple Trust said on Monday, 18 December.
“Both are elders of the family and considering their age, they were requested not to come, which was accepted by both,” Ram Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai told reporters.
Rai said that preparations are in full swing for the consecration ceremony on 22 January 2024, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The preparations would be completed by 15 January and the puja for “praan pratistha” will start from 16 January and will continue till 22 January, he added.
Giving a detailed list of the invitees, Rai said that Advani and Joshi might not attend the consecration ceremony due to health and age-related reasons. Advani is now 96 and Joshi will turn 90 next month.
A three-member team has been formed to visit former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and invite him to the ceremony, Rai said.
“Shankaracharyas of six darshanas (ancient schools) and around 150 saints and sages and will participate in the ceremony,” Rai said.
He added that about 4,000 saints and 2,200 other guests have been invited for the ceremony.
Heads of major temples like Kashi Vishwanath, Vaishno Devi, and representatives of religious and constitutional institutions have also been invited, he said.
Spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Mata Amritanandamayi of Kerala, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, cine stars Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Arun Govil, film director Madhur Bhandarkar, and prominent industrialists such as Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, famous painter Vasudev Kamat, ISRO Director Nilesh Desai, and many other eminent personalities have been invited to the function, Rai said.
After the consecration ceremony, the “mandal puja” will be held from 24 January for 48 days, as per ritual traditions. The temple will be opened for devotees on 23 January, he added.
Rai said that proper arrangements have been made for the guests to stay at more than three places in Ayodhya. Apart from this, 600 rooms have been made available by various monasteries, temples, and families.
Meanwhile, authorities of the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation said that they have begun preparing for the consecration ceremony.
Speaking to PTI, Municipal Commissioner Vishal Singh said that fibre toilets will be installed for devotees and changing rooms will be set up for women at designated places.
The “Ram Katha Kunj” corridor will be built in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, which will showcase tableaux displaying 108 events from Lord Ram’s life, he said.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
May 16, 2024
May 11, 2024
Apr 22, 2024
Apr 17, 2024
Apr 06, 2024
Apr 06, 2024
