(Image source from: deccanherald.com)
The event of Ram temple construction will start from June 8. The first bricks will be laid for its foundation with special prayers- said Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the head of temple trust.
The event is planned to start with a ritual of praying to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Rama stepped out for war in Lanka after praying to Shiva. Rudr abhishek is part of the ritual. The same ritual is to follow on the first day of temple construction.
The ritual and prayers will begin in the morning hours around 8 by Kamal Nayan Das and other priests on behalf of Ram temple President.The event lasts for 2 hours and then construction of Mandir starts soon after it by laying the foundation.
The arrangements are getting ready for Shiva puja at the Kuber Tila shrine on the Ram Janmabhoomi site which was officially allocated for the temple in supreme court verdict in November.
Devotees can visit the temporary temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi. The temple timings are fixed from 8 Am to 1 Pm and then from 3 Pm to 6 Pm which is 8 hours total.
The head priest of the temple said, “the devotees are allowed to have Ram Lalla Darshan from a distance of 15 meters. No prasad is allowed to offer to the God, neither priests are allowed to distribute any prasad to the devotees”.
In the month of March, Ram Lalla deity was moved from the original place to a new spot at the makeshift temple at the site. This was done ceremoniously to make space for construction of the temple.
On May 11, the temple authorities carried away with the work of earth moving machinery for levelling the site.
The 16th century babri mosque was located on the disputed side of Ayodhya and later demolished in 1992. Mosque was demolished by the kar sevaks believing that there was a Ram temple before on the spot.
In the Supreme Court verdict, it was decided to allocate the land for Ram mandir. It also passed a verdict that a five acre plot is to be allocated for a mosque within Ayodhya.
A separate case is ongoing on the demolition of Babri mosque in the special court of Lucknow.
By Ramya C
