Ahead of the inauguration of the Ram Mandir on January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun visiting select temples in some states that have some mythical connection to Lord Ram.
Modi will visit three temples with a connection to the Ramayana on January 20 and 21. On January 20, he will visit Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Tiruchirappalli. Lord Vishnu is the main deity in this temple. According to Vaishnava scriptures, it is believed that the image of Vishnu, which used to be worshipped by Lord Ram and his ancestors, was given by him to Vibhishana to take it to Sri Lanka. Vibhishana reportedly placed the idol here. Modi will listen to various scholars reciting verses from the Kamba Ramayanam at the temple.
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Following this, he will visit Rameswaram to perform puja at Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy temple. The main deity here is an avatar of Lord Shiva. It is believed that the main lingam in this temple was installed and worshipped by Lord Ram and Sita. Modi will participate in the programme 'Shri Ramayana Paryana' at this temple. These efforts are also aimed at strengthening the Bharatiya socio-cultural fabric, in line with the PM’s vision of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'.
On January 21, PM Modi is scheduled to visit Kothandaramaswamy temple in Dhanushkodi. Eight different traditional Mandalis will recite the Sanskrit, Awadhi, Kashmiri, Gurumukhi, Assamese, Bengali, Maithili, and Gujarati Ramkathas (recounting the episode of Shri Rama's return to Ayodhya) here. The Kothandaramaswamy temple is where Vibhishana is said to have first met Lord Ram and asked him for refuge.
Also read: Ayodhya and Ayutthaya: Shared faith and celebrations across borders
Earlier this week, the PM was in Kerala where he visited Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple and Sree Rama Swami Temple in Thrissur. This temple is dedicated to Lord Ram. The idol resembles chaturbhuja Vishnu having four arms holding a conch, a disc, a garland, and a bow.
He also visited the Veerbhadra Temple in Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh. According to legends, when Sita was being abducted by Ravana, the giant eagle Jatayu followed her but was wounded. The dying Jatayu, having conveyed crucial information about Goddess Sita's captivity, was granted “moksha” or divine liberation by Lord Ram in Lepakshi.
On January 12, he cleaned the temple premises of Shree Kalaram Temple in Nasik. It is believed that Lord Ram and Sita lived here in their exile.
PM’s visit to conclude with Ayodhya
At first, PM Modi went to Panchavati, where Lord Ram settled during his exile and Sita was abducted. Then to Lepakshi, where Jatayu is said to have informed Lord Ram of the abduction. His last stop before Ayodhya will be Dhanushkodi, where Lord Ram destroyed the Ram Setu while on his way back to Ayodhya.
For the consecration ceremony, which started 11 days before the event, the PM is following multiple practices prescribed by the sacred texts. He has been sleeping on the floor on a blanket, drinking only coconut water, doing Gau-pooja and feeding cows daily. He is also daily doing various forms of ‘daan’ like ‘annadaan’ and giving away clothes.
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