Lord Ram’s devotees are showing their love and excitement for the upcoming “pran-pratishtha” event at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22 by expressing their enthusiasm in every way possible. Many gifts from devoted followers are being sent to the temple; among these, 400 kg of the world’s largest lock and 1,265 kg of laddoo prasad arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday.
The 400-kg lock was built by Satya Prakash Sharma and his wife Rukmini Sharma, an elderly couple. Satya, an Aligarh local, died not too long ago. His desire was for the lock to be given to the Ayodhya Ram shrine. An Aligarh native named Mahamandaleshwar Annapurna Bharti Puri arranged for the lock to be transported to Ayodhya. Additionally, he discussed how the lock would elevate Aligarh’s reputation as a global leader in the lock sector.
“Satya Prakash Sharma died before completing the lock but we got it completed by working day and night,” news agency ANI quoted Puri as saying. “The honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls Aligarh Talanagari (the city of locks). The purpose of presenting the world’s largest lock at the feet of Lord Ram is to represent Aligarh on an international platform. People from the entire country and from across the world who will come to Ayodhya will appreciate the large lock, which will boost the lock manufacturing industry in Aligarh. This initiative will also provide an economic boost to the city of Aligarh,” added Puri.
Hyderabad-based Sri Ram Catering Services is the maker of the laddu prasad. The owner of the catering company, Nagabhushanam Reddy, gave information about the prasad and its history. “God has blessed my business and my family. I had pledged to prepare 1 kg of laddoo for each day till I am alive,” Nagabhushanam Reddy told ANI. “I have brought a food certificate as well. These laddoos can last one month. 25 men prepared the laddoos for 3 days,” he added.
The decorations and celebrations at Ayodhya
Meanwhile, Ayodhya has been decked up with saffron flags, huge cutouts of Lord Ram and posters bearing religious slogans like “Shubh Ghadi Aayi”, “Taiyar hai Ayodhya dham, virajenge Shree Ram”. In the vicinity of temples in the city, loudspeakers have been installed which are playing continuous chants of ‘Siya Ram’ and ‘Jai Siya Ram’.
Remarkably, the Pran Pratishtha ceremony’s seven-day rites started on January 16. The installation of the Lord Ram Lalla statue on January 22 will mark the completion of all the rites. At 12:20 p.m., Varanasi priest Lakshmi Kant Dixit will conduct the “Pran Pratishtha” ceremony. During the auspicious occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be in attendance.
Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, visited Ayodhya on Friday to assess the arrangements for the consecration event. He visited the Ram Temple complex and had meetings with local officials.
”There is an environment of joy and happiness in the entire country….it (consecration) is a historic moment for all of us…..not only the people of Ayodhya but of the entire country are eagerly waiting for the moment,” he told reporters in Ayodhya.
By: Gursharan Kaur