Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said he plans to skip the event on January 22 and visit later with his cabinet as well as MLAs and Lok Sabha MPs from the state for 'darshan'.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Tata Marathon held here in the morning, the CM said, "Instead of a handful of people attending the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya, I would like to take all state cabinet members as well as MLAs and parliamentarians later." "The temple is about our faith and pride. I would also like to take officials and devotees to the Ram Temple," he added.
Shinde said ahead of Monday's ceremony, instructions have been given to officials to carry out a cleanliness drive in temples and also decorate them with lights. Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too had told reporters in Nagpur that he would visit Ayodhya in February for "Ram seva".
Pran Pratishtha to take place on January 22
The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple will take place on Monday. The idol of Lord Ram has been placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in Ayodhya. The idol of 'Ram Lalla' is carved by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj. The idol is 51 inches tall and weighs 1.5 tonnes.
The idol portrays Lord Ram as a five-year-old child standing on a lotus also crafted from the same stone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals to mark the 'Pran Pratishtha' while a team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit will lead the main rituals. Several celebrities and noted personalities have also been invited to the ceremony.
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