Ayodhya: Seven days to go and the stage is set to welcome Ram Lalla at the grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22. In a press conference held today, Champat Rai, the Secretary General of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, announced the upcoming auspicious Praan-Pratistha (consecration) yoga of the Deity of Ram Lalla. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, the January 22, 2024, coinciding with Paush Shukla Kurmadwadashi in Vikram Samvat 2080. The event will adhere to all Shaastriya (scriptural) protocols with the Praan-Pratistha program set to unfold during the Abhijeet Muhurta in the afternoon.

“Commencing on January 16, the sacred rituals leading up to the consecration ceremony of the idol of Ram Lalla are set to unfold in a series of events. The garbha griha will host the placement of the idol on January 18, paving the way for a meticulous sequence of rituals lasting until January 21,” Champat Rai said. “On January 22, the much-anticipated consecration ceremony is scheduled to commence at 12:20 pm. The revered Varanasi figure, Lakshmikant Dikshit, has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the pooja during this significant event. The focal point of the ceremony is an intricately crafted stone idol weighing between 150-200 kg. Depicting Ram Lalla at 5 years of age, this standing idol is poised to take center stage during the main pooja on January 22, marking a momentous occasion for the devotees,” he added.

The formal procedures of pre-PraanPratistha sacraments will start from tomorrow, i.e., January 16 and continue till January 21, 2024. The Dwaadash Adhivaas protocols will be as follows 

• January 16 - Praayaschitta and Karmakuti Poojan
• January 17 - Parisar Pravesh of the Murty
• January 18 - Teerth Poojan, Jal Yatra, Jalaadhivas and Gandhaadhivaas
• January 19 morning - Aushadhaadhivaas, Kesaraadhivaas, Ghritaadhivaas 
• January 19 evening – Dhaanyaadhivaas
• January 20 morning – Sharkaraadhivaas, Phalaadhivaas
• January 20 evening – Pushpaadhivaas
• January 21 morning - Madhyaadhivaas 
• January 21 evening - Shayyaadhivaas. 

Generally there are Seven Adhivaasas in Pran Pratistha ceremony and minimum three Adhivasas are in practice. There will be 121 Acharyas conducting the rituals. Ven. Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid will be overseeing, coordinating, anchoring and directing all the proceedings of the Anushthaan and the principal Acharya will be Shri Luckshmikant Dixit of Kashi. The consecration programme will be conducted in the august presence of Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bharat Shri Narendra Modiji, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak Ven. Mohan Bhagwatji, H.E. Governor of Uttar Pradesh Madam Anandiben Patelji, Hon’ble Chief Minister of U.P. Ven. Yogi Adityanathji Maharaj and other dignitaries.

Acharyas of all schools of Bharatiya spiritualism, religion, sect, system of worship, tradition, Sants of more than 150 traditions, Mahamandaleshwars, Mandaleshwars, Shrimahants, Mahants, Nagas as well as leading figures of more than 50 Adivasi, Girivasi, Tatavasi, Dwipavasi tribal traditions will remain present to witness the Pran-Pratistha ceremony on the premises of the Temple of Nativity of Shri Ram – destroyer of global terrorism and establisher of the rule of law. The presence of the tribal traditions being represented by the people of the hills, forests, coastal belts, islands, etc., is happening for the first time in the recent history of Bharat; it will be unique in itself.

The traditions include Shaiva, Vaishnav, Shaakta, Gaanapatya, Patya, Sikh, Bauddha, Jain, Dashnaam Shankar, Ramanand, Ramanuj, Nimbarka, Madhva, Vishnu Nami, Ramsanehi, Ghisapanth, Garibdasi, Gaudiya, Kabirpanthi, Valmiki, Shankardev (Assam), Madhav Dev, ISKCON, Ramakrishna Mission, Chinmaya Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Gayatri Parivar, Anukul Chandra, Thakur Parampara, Mahima Samaj of Odisha, Akali, Nirankari, Namdhari from Punjab, Radhasoami and Swaminarayan, Varkari, Veer Shaiva, etc. After the completion of the consecration programme in the Garbha-Griha (sanctum sanctorum), all the witnesses will have darshan respectively.

During the run-up to the consecration ceremony, people from different states are continuously coming with water, soil, gold, silver, gems, clothes, jewellery, huge bells, drums, aroma/fragrance items, etc. The most notable among them were the Bhaars (gifts sent at the time of setting up a daughter's house) sent from Maa Janaki's maternal homes at Janakpur (Nepal) and Sitamarhi (Bihar) which a large number of people carried to Ayodhya and also gifts of different types of jewellery, etc., were offered by the Nanihal (maternal grandmother’s place of Shri Ram) at Raipur, Dandakaranya area.

Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra has appealed to all the Bhaaratvanshi Brothers and Sisters and all Ram Devotees in Bharat and abroad to decorate the temples in their vicinity on the January 22, 2024, coinciding with Shri Bhagwan’s Pran-Pratistha ceremony at Ayodhya and perform bhajan, puja, kirtan and aarati (service of light), etc., as per the worship protocols of the deity of the temple. The direct telecast of the Pran-Pratistha programme should be watched collectively by putting up a film screen. Before all that, the nearby temples should be cleaned and all hygiene ensured. Ramjyoti (Panchdeepak) should also be lit in the name of Shri Ramlala with the chanting of Jai Jai Shri Ram in houses in the evening on 22nd January.