New Delhi: The consecration of Ram Lalla is to take place tomorrow i.e. on 22 January in Ayodhya Ram temple. An elaborate and lengthy set of rituals around the 51-inch idol of Ram Lalla were completed on Saturday, less than 48 hours before the scheduled consecration.
Sources involved in the rituals said that the eyes of the new idol, which are still covered with cloth, went through different ‘Adhivas’ rituals. This involved draping the entire frame with various flowers brought from places across the country including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kolkata.
These flowers, estimated at 50 kg, include: lotus, rose, jasmine and chrysanthemum.In a ritual called ‘Snapan’, which lasted for about three hours, the sanctum sanctorum was also washed with water from 81 ‘Kalash’ or urns. This water was brought from many religious places and rivers across the country including Sitamarhi in Bihar and Nepal.
Sitamarhi in Nepal is considered to be the birthplace of Mother Sita. Some urns also contained ‘medicinal water with cow urine’ and juices of selected fruits.Setting the stage for Monday, ‘Ramlala Virajman’ or darshan of the old idol in the makeshift temple was stopped. Satyendra Das, priest of Ram Lalla at the temporary temple, said it will be moved to the sanctum sanctorum on Sunday evening and darshan with the new idol is likely to resume from January 23.
The rituals before Sunday included ‘Shakaradhivas’, ‘Phaladhivas’ and ‘Pushpadhivas’. These rituals involve offering sugar and sweets to the idol, then end with fruits and flowers. Meanwhile, the havan which started on Friday continued till evening around the pavilion, about 100 meters away from the temple site.
