In a vibrant prelude to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, members of the ‘Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir’ joyously distributed laddoos at the iconic Times Square in New York on Sunday. The event, celebrated with fervor in the United States, resonates with the spirit of Ayodhya, according to Prem Bhandari, a member of the organization.
Expressing astonishment at witnessing this divine day, Bhandari lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his global leadership in connecting people with the monumental event. He emphasized that the atmosphere, not just in India but worldwide, is reminiscent of the Ramayana, as Lord Ram returns after his exile.
Meanwhile, the United States is gearing up ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, with almost a dozen events planned across the United States to celebrate the historic occasion.
There are events lined up all the way from New York Times Square to Boston, as well as in Washington, DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco, that will happen at the same time as the ceremony in India happens.
The billboards have gone up in Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Georgia, among other states. Additionally, Arizona and the State of Missouri are set to join this visual celebration, which began on January 15, according to the VHP, American chapter.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), US chapter, in association with Hindus from across the US, has put up more than 40 billboards in 10 states and more, displaying the message around the grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at the birthplace of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.
To commemorate the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Hindu American community across the US has organised several car rallies and has planned many more events in the run-up to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ in Ayodhya.
Notably, the process of Pran Pratishtha has already started from January 16. While the ‘Prayaschit’ and Karmakuti puja were performed on January 16, the idol entered the premises on January 17.
On January 18, Ram Lalla’s idol was installed in the sanctum sectorum of the grand new temple. Aushadhivas, Kesaradhivas, Ghritadhivas were organized on January 19, Dhanyadhivas on January 19, Sugardhivas, Fruitdhivas, Pushpadhivas on January 20 and Madhyadhivas and Shayadhivas on January 21.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals marking the ‘Pran Pratishtha’. A team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit will lead the main rituals.
Along with PM Modi, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other dignitaries will be present on the occasion.
Special guests from cricket world, film world, saint society, politics, art, literature and culture and other fields have also been invited for the ceremony.
(Inputs from ANI)