Ram Lalla idol given ceremonial bath as purity rituals conclude

Aksheev Thakur

New Delhi, January 21

The idol of Ram Lalla was given a ceremonial bath on the sixth day of the purity rituals at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Water from 114 ‘kalash’ (urns) collected from different regions of the country was used for the bath.

The day started with the ‘puja’ of the deities, a practice central to the ongoing ‘pran pratishtha’ rituals.

In the evening, the ‘Vyahati Hom’, a ritual that involves sacred offerings into the fire, was performed followed by ‘aarti’. The old idol of Ram Lalla was decorated with flowers. It will be placed with the new 51-inch Ram Lalla idol in the sanctum sanctorum.

The pre-consecration ceremony rituals ended with ‘shayandhivas’, a ceremony symbolising putting the idol to ‘sleep’ after six days of rituals.

On Monday, the consecration ceremony will be conducted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi presiding over the ceremony.

Taking to X, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra said, “Acharyas of all schools of bharatiya spiritualism, sects, systems of worship and traditions; sants of more than 150 traditions; Mahamandaleshwars; Mandaleshwars; Shrimahants; mahants; Nagas; and leading figures of more than 50 Adivasi, Girivasi, Tatavasi, Dwipavasi tribal traditions, will be present at the ‘pran pratistha’ ceremony.”

“The enthusiasm for the Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla can be felt everywhere. In the run-up to the ceremony, people from different states are continuously coming to Ayodhya with water, soil, gold, silver, clothes, jewellery, bells, drums etc,” it added.