Ayodhya Ram Mandir: 175 eminent guests invited; sacred soil from 2000 teerth sthan brought for grand ceremony

Ahead of the 'Bhoomi Pujan' on August 5, the General Secretary of the Sri Ramjanmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust on Monday extended an invitation to 175 people, including 135 saints of 35 religious organisations, to attend the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Ram Temple.

"We have sent invitations to 175 people including 135 saints of about 36 religious organisations of India in this event. We have also invited Iqbal Ansari (former litigant in Ayodhya land dispute case) and Padma Shri Mohammed Sharif (who does cremation of unclaimed dead bodies according to their religion) to attend the foundation stone laying ceremony," Rai said while addressing the press conference.

He also said that all the invitees will be in Ayodhya by Tuesday evening.

"Many people have arrived, including VHP leader Dinesh Chand, mahants from `akhadas` in Haridwar. All invitees will be here by tomorrow evening. RSS` Mohan Bhagwat and Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi among many others are expected to come," he said. Rai also said that it is "unfathomable" that some people were "influenced by green clothes or fear of Prime Minister"."Some people are so perturbed by PM that they see him in their dreams and lose sleep over him. They are linking Lord Ram`s green clothes to PM. It is unfathomable if they were influenced by green clothes or fear of PM," Rai said.

"It is not a matter pertaining to PMO, CM or the Trust. The priest has been deciding the colour of clothes as per the day. It is fixed. He does not make changes under anyone`s influence," he added.

Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of the makeshift temple on Sunday had stated that the idol of Ram Lalla will dress as per the day`s significance."For Monday, it would be white clothes, for Tuesday it would be red clothes and for Wednesday it would be green clothes. We have also kept an option of yellow and saffron clothes," he had said.

Moreover, sacred soil from more than 2000 teerth sthans and water from more than 100 rivers has been brought to Ayodhya for the ceremony. 

The trust has also called upon "Shri Rambhakts across the world to organise Bhajan, Kirtan and Prasad distribution in all villages and cities" by maintaining strict COVID-19 guidelines to prevent people from contracting the virus.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged people to light earthen lamps on August 4 and 5 to celebrate the grand ceremony.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5.

The construction of the Ram temple will begin after the ceremony to lay the foundation stone.

The Supreme Court had in November last year ruled in the favour of a temple after a prolonged battle in the Babri Masjid dispute case. 

(With agency inputs)