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Historic moment for Ayodhya as Ram Darbar unveiled
It was a historic moment for Ayodhya on Thursday when the pran pratishtha (consecration) of the white marble idol of Raja Ram (Ram in royal form) was conducted and the Ram Darbar ceremonially unveiled amid the chanting of Vedic mantras on the first floor of the grand Ram temple.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, whose 53rd birthday coincided with the occasion, presided over the pran pratishtha of Ram Darbar, which consists of the idols of Lord Ram and Mata Sita seated on a throne, with Hanuman and Bharat depicted in a prayerful posture at their feet, Lakshman and Shatrughan standing beside them. The throne was placed on a platform made of white marble.
Adityanath anointed all the idols after which the Ram Darbar was unveiled as the collective voice of priests, acharyas and sadhus, the blowing of conch shells and the fragrance of havan enhanced the spiritual atmosphere of the temple premises.
The day, coinciding with the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, came over 16 months after the consecration of Ram Lalla on the ground floor of the temple on January 22, 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had presided over the 2024 event.
Modi on Thursday said Ayodhya has witnessed another proud and historic moment following the consecration of 'Ram Darbar' along with the installation of idols in eight newly built temples inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex.
In a post on X, the prime minister said the auspicious occasion of the consecration of the divine and grand 'Ram Darbar' will fill the devotees of Ram with devotion and joy.
The PM also said he hopes that Lord Ram bestows his blessings of happiness, health and prosperity upon the countrymen.
The entire Ayodhya wore a festive look and the 13-km stretch of Ram Path from Lata Mangeshkar Chowk up to Ayodhya bypass was decked up to welcome devotees on the grand occasion.
In a culmination of three-day celebrations, the final day's rituals began at 6.30 am with an invocation and offerings at the yagya mandap, followed by a havan at 9am. Subsequently, a centrally coordinated pran-pratishtha ceremony was held across all temples.
The main pran pratishtha rituals were performed during the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat from 11:25 am to 11:40 am.
Adityanath, who also offered prayers to Ram Lalla at the Ram temple and visited Hanumangarhi temple, posted on X: 'Today, in the holy birthplace of Lord Shri Ram, Ayodhya Dham, we are getting the great fortune of becoming a witness to the programme organised for the Pran-Pratishtha of the holy idols of gods in the eight temples, including Shri Ram Darbar, on the first floor of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.' .
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member Anil Mishra, was present at the ceremony as the host, along with his wife.
RAM DARBAR AND THE SCULPTOR
The Thursday's ceremony was a moment of personal redemption for Jaipur-based sculptor Satya Narain Pandey and his team which has crafted the Ram Darbar.
Pandey's idol design had lost out to that of Mysuru-based artist Arun Yograj ahead of the 2024 ceremony.
'I was dejected when I came to know that my idol was not shortlisted (for the 2024 ceremony). But due to Lord Ram's blessings, I once again got the opportunity to be associated with the Ram Mandir,' said Pandey.
In January 2024, the Trust selected Arun Yogiraj, the Mysuru-based artist's idol for the pran pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla.
The Ram Lalla idol is made of Krishna shila (black schist) and depicts the deity as a five-year-old boy.
'The main reason behind the decision was the selection of Krishna shila (black stone) over white marble for Ram Lalla's idol,' said Satya Narain Pandey.
'It was altogether a different experience as I had to carve Lord Ram's idol as a grown-up person and not his child form,' said Pandey.
'The sculpting of the Ram Darbar took approximately three months. During this phase, artisans performed daily prayers and rituals seeking divine blessings,' said Pandey.
'We paid close attention to the subtle nuances of the idol, aiming to infuse it with the essence of Lord Ram's character,' he said.
Pandey explained that Lord Ram is revered as the embodiment of compassion and the sustainer of the universe.
'Artisans sought to capture this essence in the idol's facial expression, conveying the divine qualities of Lord Rama,' he said.
'Artisans' meticulous attention to detail and their commitment to creating an idol that reflects Lord Rama's character have made this idol a masterpiece of devotion,' said Champat Rai, general secretary of the Trust.
OTHER TEMPLES IN RAM JANMABHOOMI COMPLEX
Alongside the Ram Darbar, deities enshrined in the other temples in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex on the day included Lord Shiva in the northeast (Ishan) corner, Lord Ganesh in the southeast (Agni) corner, Lord Hanuman midway along the southern side, Lord Surya in the southwest (Nairitya) corner, Goddess Bhagwati in the northwest (Vayavya) corner, and Goddess Annapurna in the middle of the northern side. All idols are made of white makrana marble.
Earlier, the chief minister reached Ayodhya at 10.30am where he was received at the Ram Katha Park by cabinet minister Surya Pratap Shahi.
