LUCKNOW: After sending out the first batch of invites to saints for the consecration ceremony earlier this week, the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has extended invitations to nearly 7,000 dignitaries ranging from politicians to corporate captains and celebrities.
The consecration of the idol of Lord Ram in child form in the ‘sanctum sanctorum’ of the upcoming temple in Ayodhya will take place on January 22, 2024 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
According to temple trust sources, 150 Vedic priests would be engaged to conduct the rituals of the ceremony. The team of priests has been chosen under the guidance of Shankaracharya Vijendra Saraswati of Kashi. The puja would be led by Lakshmi Kant Dixit and Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, vedic scholars of Kashi, along with a team of 150 priests.
Prominent among those being invited to the ceremony in the temple town are industrialists Gautam Adani, Mukesh Ambani and Ratan Tata, Bollywood celebrities like famous singer Asha Bhosle, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut, Arun Govil (who played Lord Ram’s character in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana on Doordarshan) and Deepika Chikhilya (who played the character of Goddess Sita) as well as cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
As per the regional spokesman of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), invites have also been sent to journalists who supported them in making “the Ram temple a reality”. Moreover, families of over 50 Karsewaks who shed their life during the temple movement are also invited to be a part of the consecration ceremony.
According to temple trust general secretary Champat Rai, efforts are on to invite at least one representative from 50 countries each.
As per temple trust sources, the invites have been sent via post and WhatsApp to saints, priests, shankaracharyas, religious leaders and VVIPs including former civil servants, retired Army officers, lawyers, scientists, poets, musicians and Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan recipients.
Of the 7,000 invitees, nearly 4,000 will be religious leaders from from across the country, while the remaining 3,000 will be VVIPs from all walks of life, said a senior VHP functionary.
The rituals would commence from January 15. On January 17, a Shobha Yatra of the immovable idol of Lord Ram in child form would be taken out and established on the Janmabhoomi premises. It would be followed by a series of pujas and other rituals from January 18.
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