"Lord Ram is our ideal": Himachal CM Sukhu after announcing public holiday on January 22
Jan 21, 2024
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 21 : The 24-hour 'Akhand Path' at Ram Mandir Shimla began here on Sunday after Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid obeisance at the temple and lit the Diyas. The Chief Minister also announced a public holiday in the state for January 22 on the occasion of the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya.
He said that Lord Rama is everyone's ideal. The 'Akhand Path', involving five Pandits, is scheduled to conclude on Monday at 10 a.m.
While interacting with the journalists, the Chief Minister said that Lord Rama does not belong to any particular party; rather, the Lord is the ideal of the entire country and our culture. He appealed to everyone to follow the path shown by Lord Ram.
"The Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram temple is being organised in Ayodhya on Monday and on this occasion I will light a lamp in my house and encourage others to do the same," stated the Chief Minister, asking everyone to imbibe the characteristics of Rama and the values and lessons of the Ramayana in their life.
Responding to a query, CM Sukhu said that he would definitely visit Ayodhya in the near future. He added that Lord Rama is considered incomplete without Shi Hanuman Ji and therefore a statue of Lord Rama would be erected along with the statue of Shri Hanuman Ji in Jakhu, as proposed by Sood Sabha.