Ayodhya priest urges people not to spread misleading information about Ram Mandir, refers to Somnath temple Pran Pratishtha

Jan 15, 2024

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 15 : Shashikant Das Maharaj, president, Saryu Maha Aarti in Ayodhya, said on Monday that some people are spreading "misleading things" about the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
Referring to the Pran Pratishtha of the Somnath temple in Gujarat, Shashikant Das said that at that time, the 'sanctum sanctorum' and 'Shikhar' of the temple were not completed; however, today, God's 'sanctum sanctorum' and 'Shikhar' are ready.
This comes after opposition parties, including the Congress, have claimed that the Shankaracharyas have decided against attending the January 22 event after objecting to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at an 'incomplete temple'.
Reacting to this, he told ANI, "Some people are spreading very misleading things about the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. I want to tell you that at the time the 'Pran Pratishtha' of the Somnath temple took place, the 'sanctum sanctorum' and 'Shikhar' of the temple were not completed. Today, God's 'sanctum sanctorum' and 'Shikhar' are ready."
He also urged the people not to spread such 'misleading things' and to value the sacrifice of those who lost their lives while doing Kar Sewa.
"I appeal to the people not to spread such 'misleading things'. There has been a history of 500 years behind this. We've waited for so long to worship the Lord and various people have lost their lives while doing Kar Sewa. Also, if PM Modi had not been there, this temple would not have been built today," Shashikant Das said.
Meanwhile, Sanskrit scholar Swami Rambhadracharya Maharaj slammed the Congress Party for declining the invite for the pran pratishtha ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, saying that the grand old party is indulging in 'murkhneeti' not in 'rajneeti'.
While speaking to ANI, Swami Rambhadracharya Maharaj also said that the Congress is doing what an 'angry cat' does.
"It is according to the scriptures. Sanctum sanctorum is complete, and now pran pratishtha is going to take place.... what is wrong with it? It is as per the shashtras. It is 'Murkhneeti' not 'rajneeti'...Khisiyani billi khamba noche (an embarrassed or ashamed person tends to vent his/her feelings by quarrelling)," he said.
He also expressed his happiness over the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and said, "I have the same reaction as the people of Ayodhya when Lord Ram returned after 14 years of exile. There is no limit to my happiness today."
The 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram Temple will be held on January 22. Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals to mark the pran pratishtha of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple on January 22.