Ayodhya's Ram Temple Pre-Consecration: Rituals And Symbolic Homecoming Mark Second Day

On the second day of the pre-consecration ceremonies at Ayodhya's Ram Temple, a series of rituals took place in preparation for the upcoming pran pratishtha ceremony on January 22. The revered idol of Ram Lalla was transported to the temple in a truck from Vivek Srishti Trust, symbolizing a poignant homecoming for the deity. Earlier in the day, a representative silver idol of Ram Lalla was paraded through the premises of the Ram Temple.

The idol arrived at the temple on Wednesday night, accompanied by a special Puja held at the sanctum sanctorum before its eventual placement inside the garbha griha. Nripendra Mishra, Chairperson of the Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee, indicated that the idol is expected to be positioned in the sanctum sanctorum on the third day, Thursday.

Wednesday night witnessed the use of a crane to carefully bring the idol into the Ram Mandir complex. This marked the first entry of the Ram Lalla idol, sculpted by Arun Yogiraj from Karnataka, into the sacred premises. Standing at 51 inches, the idol portrays Lord Ram as a five-year-old, embodying both the regality of a king and the innocence of a child.

For the pran-pratishtha ceremony, Prime Minister Modi is set to serve as the chief yajman, while Dr. Anil Mishra, a Trust member, assumes the role of chief yajman for the pre-consecration rituals. Additionally, over 500 women participated in the Jal Kalash Yatra ritual on Wednesday, symbolically collecting water from the Saryu river and bringing it to the Ram temple.

The series of rituals commenced on Tuesday, with Wednesday featuring the Kalash Yatra and the entry of the idol into the complex (parishar-pravesh) ahead of the pran-pratishtha. Another Ram Lalla idol, not intended for placement in the sanctum sanctorum, toured the temple premises.

In a notable development, actors from the television serial Ramayan—Arun Govil, Sunil Lahiri, and Deepika Chikhalia—visited Ayodhya on Wednesday to film their album titled 'Hamare Ram Aayenge.'

Furthermore, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has formally requested Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud to declare a holiday in all courts across the country in commemoration of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.