Ayodhya's Ram temple will soon see the ceremonial installation of a "Ram Darbar" on its first floor in a three-day ceremony next month. The darbar, however, will be open to the public only from June 6, temple authorities said on Wednesday.
Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, also confirmed the timeline to PTI but insisted that the next event will not be labeled as a "pran pratistha" (consecration) ceremony. He explained that this would not be comparable to the main consecration on January 22, 2024.
The installation on the temple's higher level will be preceded by a series of ritualistic days, including sacred rituals such as Jal-vas (water immersion), Anna-vas (grain ritual), Aushadhi-vas (herb ritual), and Shaiyya-vas (bed ritual), said Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra's general secretary Champat Rai.
This event will also be the culmination of the construction of the temple that started in 2020. The previous consecration of Ram Lalla on the ground floor of the temple in January 2024 was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mishra had elucidated through a telephonic conversation with PTI: "The pran pratistha of Ram Lalla already occurred on the ground floor early this year. Now, preparations are underway for installing Raja Ram — Ram in his king-like avatar — in the Ram Darbar on the first floor. The idol of Lord Ram, his siblings, and Goddess Sita should be arriving in Ayodhya and being fixed in the darbar on May 23."
He went on, "Although a religious ceremony is clearly required for the darbar, it wouldn't be correct to term this another consecration, as that already took place. Some different types of puja will be done before the darbar is unveiled in public, and that will be concluded on June 5.
The choice of May 23 for the installation and June 5 for the final rituals coincides with astrologically auspicious timings, Mishra said. The darbar will be opened to the public on June 6.
The star attraction of the Ram Darbar will be a close to five-foot tall white marble idol of Lord Ram, crafted in Jaipur. He will be flanked by idols of Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, Shatrughan, and Hanuman. Mishra added that the function will be organized in a serious and pious environment.
He also told us that the second floor of the temple will be ready on approximately the same date. Construction of the outer boundary wall will take a couple of months longer, but seven temples around the area, one of which will be dedicated to Maharishi Valmiki, should be completed by June 6.
When questioned as to whether the installation would be comparable in scale to that of the January consecration, Mishra confirmed that it would be smaller. The extent of the event would eventually be decided by the temple trust.
Rai again repeated at Ayodhya that the Ram Darbar's installation would take place over three days, with pre-installation rituals scheduled two days prior to the event.
In a release from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Samvad Kendra, the secretary of the trust made known that clothing and accessories for the idols are being readied now. The gods will be transported to Ayodhya in stages beginning after April 15. All the idols are cut from strong Makrana marble.
A total of 18 idols from Jaipur are to be expected, including those of Maharishi Valmiki, sages Vashishtha and Vishwamitra, Agastya, Nishadraj, Shabari, Ahilya, and others for the "Saptamandap." The installation of the statue of Saint Tulsidas has already been done. Rai said that by the end of April, the tower crane that is currently on site will be dismantled, clearing the way for the resumption of work on the northern and southern parikotas (enclosure walls).
He also described the Surya Tilak project for Balak Ram Lalla, stating that it was the Prime Minister's own idea. The project was carefully planned, tested in the laboratory, and implemented by a team of committed scientists.
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