Apeksha Agarwal
After a prolonged wait of Indians, the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir is finally drawing to a close. The long-anticipated moment is set to unfold in just one week. On January 22, 2024, the gates will swing open welcoming the devoted followers of Shree Ram and the country will joyously celebrate the inception of a new festival, a heartfelt welcome for Shree Ram to his home, Ayodhya.
The celebration has begun with the temple trust sending invitations to 7,000 individuals, including prominent figures such as cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, M.S. Dhoni, and Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma , as well as actors Amitabh Bachchan, and notable personalities like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani. These invitations mark the commencement of a joyous occasion at the Ram Mandir, ready to embrace devotees who have patiently awaited this golden moment for decades.
Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, is set to grace the event as the chief guest during the Pran Prathista ceremony of Lord Ram. According to astrologers, the Paush Shukla Kurma Dwadashi holds significant importance in the Vikram Samvat of 2080, as per the Hindu calendar, accurately determining the time and date of the pran prathistha of Lord Ram. The auspicious timings are predicted to be between 12:20 pm to 1 pm.
As, the inauguration is coming close the events has planned on different dates which is called as pre- pran prathistha ceremony which started from January 16 and will go ahead till 21 January.
The list of event is given below:
January 16 : The day will commence with the observance of the ‘Prayaschita’ and ‘Karmakuti Pooja.’ Following these rites, the ‘Dashvidh’ bath will be conducted on the banks of the Surya River by the priest appointed by the temple trust. This inaugural ritual signifies purity and invokes the blessings of gods Vishnu and Godan.
January 17: The ‘Parisar Pravesh’ ceremony of the idol Raam Lalla is scheduled, marking its entry into Ayodhya. Devotees will gather in front of the temple gate, welcoming their cherished idol by carrying a ‘Mangal Kalesh,’ a pot filled with holy Surya water.
January 18: A series of rituals including ‘Teerth Poojan,’ ‘Jal Yatra,’ and ‘Gandhadhivas’ will be performed. The sculpture of Raam Lalla will be placed on its designated seat in the ‘Garbh Griha,’ symbolizing a sacred presence.
January 19: The day will witness the ‘Dhanyadivas’ ritual, during which the sculpture will be covered with grains and pulses for purification. Subsequently, the ‘Agni Sthapna’ and ‘Navgarha Sthapana’ will be conducted.
January 20: Devotees will be restricted from seeing or worshiping Raam Lalla on this day. The doors will open post-inauguration, and the ‘Garbh Griha’ will be purified with the holy waters of the Surya River. The priests will perform the ‘Sharkaradhivas’ and ‘Phaladhivas’ rituals.
January 21: The deity will undergo a ceremonial washing with 125 urns, and the ‘Shayadhivas’ ritual will be conducted on this day.
Pran Prathistha Ceremony:
It is a sacred ritual in Hinduism known as “Pran Prathistha,” where “pran” signifies life, and “prathistha” refers to establishing life into the sculpture of the deity being worshipped. This ancient ceremony has been practiced by temple priests for millennia, preceding the inauguration ceremony. It serves as a transformative process, turning a mere idol into a living representation of the divine.
On January 22, 2024, this significant ceremony will be performed to infuse the Ram Lalla Murti with the essence of a divine god. The ritual involves unveiling the idol’s eyes and placing a mirror in front, symbolizing the embodiment of divine life. The Pran Prathistha ceremony will be conducted during the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat, following the Vikram Samvat 2080 calendar, with the participation of 121 acharyas. Among them, 7 will be Adhivaasa, and currently, 3 Adhivaasa are actively involved in the practice.
Furthermore, it’s noteworthy that two out of three Acharyas have declined the invitation for the inauguration. Their rationale is grounded in the belief that the construction is not yet complete, and according to their principles, it is inappropriate to inaugurate the temple before its entirety is finished.