Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust Proposes 3 Dates In January For Ram Lalla Idol 'Sthapna'

A member of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust revealed on Friday that they are considering January 21, 22, or 23 for the auspicious consecration ceremony of the revered Ram Lalla idol next year.

Previously, the trust members had announced their intention to extend a formal invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grace the occasion with his presence at the event.

"The consecration ceremony of Ram Janmabhoomi will take place in the third week of January next year. Three dates—January 21, 22, and 23—have been fixed for the consecration ceremony. We will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ceremony, which will also be attended by prominent sadhus and other dignitaries," the trust's General Secretary Champat Rai told PTI.

"The main event would be kept non-political. Guests from different political parties will also be invited, provided they have the intention to come. There will be no stage in the programme nor any public meeting," he said.

The trust has formulated a plan to extend invitations to more than 25,000 Hindu religious leaders representing 136 distinct Sanatan traditions, with the aim of gathering them for the forthcoming ceremony.

The temple trust is currently in the process of compiling a comprehensive list of these revered saints. In the near future, they intend to dispatch personalized invitation letters to these individuals, bearing the signature of Trust President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

"The trust has planned to accommodate all prominent saints in the big monasteries of Ayodhya ," Rai said.

These 25,000 saints will constitute a distinct group, separate from the anticipated attendance of 10,000 "special guests" who have been designated to participate in the consecration ceremony within the premise of Ram Janmabhoomi.

The Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for the temple took place on August 5, 2020, under the constraints of stringent COVID-19 guidelines, resulting in a significantly scaled-down event.

"The sanctum sanctorum of Ramlala is nearing completion. Now in the month of January, the preparation for the grand event of 'Pran Pratishtha' is in full swing," said Anil Misra, a temple trust member.

The trust is in the process of organizing a provision of complimentary meals for approximately one month, catering to the devotees who will be arriving in Ayodhya to partake in the forthcoming consecration ceremony.

As per Rai's statement, the trust has undertaken the responsibility of nourishing between 75,000 to 100,000 individuals daily throughout the entirety of January.